Hünkar Beğendi (Lamb Stew over Smoky Eggplant Purée)

Method

1. 1
   • lamb shoulder700 g
   • olive oil2 tbsp

   Brown the lamb — Pat the lamb dry and season it well. Heat the olive oil in a heavy casserole over high heat and brown the cubes in two or three batches, 3-4 minutes a batch, until they are deeply coloured on at least two sides. Crowding the pan steams the meat, so give it room. Lift the lamb out.

2. 2
   • olive oil2 tbsp
   • onion1
   • garlic3
   • tomato paste2 tbsp

   Soften the onion and tomato paste — Turn the heat down, add the onion to the same pot and cook for 8 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic for a minute, then the tomato paste, and fry it for a further 2 minutes until it darkens to brick red and the oil around it runs orange.

3. 3
   • lamb shoulder700 g
   • canned tomatoes400 g
   • beef stock5 dl
   • black pepper1 tsp
   • saltto taste

   Braise until the lamb gives way — Return the lamb with any juices, add the canned tomatoes and the beef stock, season with salt and the black pepper and bring to a bare simmer. Cover and cook very gently for 1 hour 40 minutes, until the lamb gives way to a spoon and the sauce has reduced to a thick, glossy gravy. Uncover for the last 20 minutes if it is still loose.

   ⏱1 hr 40 min
4. 4
   • black pepper1 tsp
   • eggplant3

   Char the eggplants — Meanwhile, prick the eggplants all over and set them on a tray under the oven's hottest grill setting, close to the element. Char for about 30 minutes, turning every 8 minutes, until the skins are blistered black and the flesh has collapsed. Seal them in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel, and squeeze and drain the flesh hard — the smoke is the point, the water is the enemy. Chop it roughly.

   ⏱30 min
5. 5
   • butter60 g
   • wheat flour3 tbsp
   • milk5 dl

   Make the béchamel — Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk in the flour and cook the roux for 2 minutes without letting it colour. Pour in the milk in three additions, whisking hard between each, until you have a smooth, thick béchamel.

6. 6
   • eggplant3
   • Gouda100 g
   • ground nutmeg¼ tsp

   Beat in the smoky eggplant — Beat the chopped eggplant into the béchamel and cook for 7 minutes over low heat, mashing with a wooden spoon, until the purée is thick enough to hold a ridge. Stir in the grated Gouda and the nutmeg off the heat and season generously — it should taste smoky, milky and faintly sweet.

   ⏱7 min
7. 7
   • lamb shoulder700 g
   • fresh parsley2 tbsp

   Spoon the lamb over the purée — Spread the warm purée over a wide serving dish and make a hollow in the middle with the back of a ladle. Spoon the lamb and its sauce into the well, scatter with parsley and serve straight away, while the purée is still hot enough to melt into the gravy.