Hunkar Begendi

Name: Hunkar Begendi
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless lamb, preferably from the shoulder, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks; Salt and black pepper to taste; 1 large onion, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 2 cups chopped tomatoes with their liquid (canned are fine); 2 pounds eggplant (2 to 3 medium or several small); Juice of 1/2 lemon; 3 tablespoons flour; 2 cups milk; 1/2 cup grated kasseri cheese or pecorino Romano; Lemon wedges for serving

December 14, 2011

I’d heard of hunkar begendi and even tried it in Turkish restaurants elsewhere before I went to Istanbul, but I was not prepared for the reverence it inspires. Not only is this dish delicious—its name means “Sultan’s Delight”—but its appearance causes a hush to fall over a table. This is great stuff, a creamy, eggplant-laced béchamel topped with tender braised lamb. It’s a fair amount of work, but worth it.

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