Whole Burnt Aubergine with Charred Egg Yolk, Tahini and Chilli Sauce

The first time you grill a whole aubergine on the barbeque or over open fire is a revelation! Such a very simple cooking method somehow transforms this vegetable into the very best it can be. In this recipe from Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around The Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, each aubergine is dressed in a fragrant sauce of chillies, garlic, lemon, cumin and herbs and then further embellished with tahini and a luscious charred egg yolk.

Whole Burnt Aubergine with Charred Egg Yolk, Tahini and Chilli Sauce

Read more about the book in my full review of Chasing Smoke by by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich.

Whole Burnt Aubergine with Charred Egg Yolk, Tahini and Chilli Sauce

Whole Burnt Aubergine with Charred Egg Yolk, Tahini and Chilli Sauce

This is the essence of our food, distilled into a single dish. It is inspired by the first whole burnt aubergine we ever ate, served with a smattering of grated tomato, at a very famous Jerusalem establishment we both love. It has since become a staple at every BBQ, and in our restaurant Honey & Smoke. Burning the aubergine really brings out the best in this slightly bland vegetable. Don’t hold back – by the time you’re done, the skin should be blackened and the flesh so soft it can easily be scooped out with a spoon.
Servings 2 as a meal
Author Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich

Ingredients

  • 2 aubergines
  • 50 g (1¾ oz) tahini paste
  • 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) ice-cold water
  • 2 egg yolks from beautiful eggs

For the lemon, chilli and garlic dressing

  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (about 10g / ⅓ oz)
  • 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (about 10g / ⅓ oz)
  • 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped (about 20g / ¾ oz)
  • juice of 1–2 lemons (about 80ml / 2¾ fl oz)
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bunch of parsley, leaves picked and chopped (about 30g / 1 oz)

Instructions

  • Place the whole aubergines on a very hot grill, or directly on the embers if you prefer. Let them scorch all over, turning occasionally, until the skin is charred and the flesh is so soft that it seems they are going to collapse.
  • While the aubergines are cooking, combine all the dressing ingredients apart from the chopped parsley. Separately mix the tahini paste with the water to form a thick whipped cream consistency.
  • Once the aubergines are fully blackened, remove from the grill onto serving plates and slit open to reveal the flesh.
  • Add the parsley to the dressing and mix well. Use half the dressing to douse the flesh of the slit aubergines, then top with the whipped tahini. Use the back of a spoon to create a little well in the tahini and place a raw egg yolk in the centre of each one. Using tongs, carefully remove a hot charcoal from the fire and lightly char the top of each yolk. Return the coal to the fire and drizzle the remaining dressing over the aubergines before serving.

To cook without a BBQ

  • Cook the aubergines on your highest grill setting or in a super- hot oven at 240°C/220°C fan/gas mark 9, remembering to pierce them with a fork beforehand, as they have a tendency to explode. Scorch one side, then rotate and char the next section until the flesh of the aubergine is completely soft. Use a blow torch to scorch the surface of the egg yolk, or simply heat the back of a spoon over a flame and use that instead.

 

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Kavey Eats received a review copy of Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around The Levant by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich from publisher Pavilion Books. Book photography by Patricia Niven.

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4 Comments to "Whole Burnt Aubergine with Charred Egg Yolk, Tahini and Chilli Sauce"

  1. Agnes

    This recipe seems highly appetizing. I want to eat this dish. The recipe doesn’t seem very complicated so I hope I can make it for Saturday’s dinner. I have more time to spend in the kitchen then.

    Reply
  2. Ange

    This caught my eye and your description made me hungry 😂. I love aubergine. I will try this recipe and will look out for the book. Kavey, thanks for the recommendation.

    Reply

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