Hünkar Beğendi: Braised Beef over Smoked Eggplant Purée

The story goes that this dish was made for a sultan, and that beğendi — “he liked it” — is what he said. Whether or not that is true, it has been on Ottoman tables for a very long time.

Two elements: a slow braise of beef, and a purée of charred eggplant thickened into a béchamel. The smoke is the whole point. Eggplant roasted without charring gives you a pale purée that tastes of nothing much.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the beğendi

4 medium eggplants
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
2 tablespoons grated aged kaşar, or Gruyère
Salt
White pepper

For the braise

1 lb beef chuck or ribeye, cut into cubes
1 onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon red pepper paste
2 cups water or stock
Salt
Black pepper

To finish

Fresh basil
Pine nuts

Method

Char the eggplants

Pierce the eggplants several times with a fork.

Char them directly over a gas flame, on a grill, or under a very hot broiler, turning until the skin is blackened all over and the flesh has collapsed. This takes 15 to 20 minutes and it should look ruined — that blistered skin is where the smoke comes from.

Let them cool enough to handle, then peel and chop the flesh. Drain it in a sieve for 10 minutes; eggplant holds a lot of water.

Braise the beef

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy pot. Cook the onion until golden.

Add the beef and brown it properly. Work in batches if the pot is crowded — meat that steams will never taste braised.

Season with salt and pepper and cook until the meat has released its juices and they have cooked away again.

Add the garlic, bay leaf and thyme and cook for another minute or two.

Loosen the tomato paste and red pepper paste with a little water and stir them in. Cook for 2 minutes to take the raw edge off the paste.

Pour in the water or stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beef gives way under a fork. Add water if it runs dry.

Uncover for the last 15 minutes so the sauce reduces and coats the meat.

Make the beğendi

Melt the butter in a pot. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns pale gold and smells nutty — 2 to 3 minutes. This is what takes the raw flour taste out.

Add the warm milk in a slow stream, whisking hard. Warm milk into hot roux goes in smoothly; cold milk will lump.

Cook until it thickens to the consistency of a thin pudding.

Add the drained eggplant and cook for another 5 minutes, breaking it down with a spoon.

Stir in the grated cheese, salt and white pepper.

For a smooth purée, blend it. For a more rustic texture, mash it with a whisk instead.

Serve

Spoon the beğendi onto a warm plate and make a well in the center. Pile the braised beef into it with its sauce.

Scatter with toasted pine nuts and basil.