Hünkar Beğendi; Sultan’s Lamb Stew Over Smoked Aubergine and Béchamel Sauce

This classic lamb stew, served over a smoky aubergine (eggplant) purée in a béchamel sauce, dates to the Ottoman period, and is still an iconic dish enjoyed in İstanbul today. The story goes that when Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, visited the Topkapı Palace as a guest of Sultan Abdülaziz, the Palace chefs learned about béchamel from Eugenie’s chefs and combined the sauce with the local favourite, smoked aubergine. Eugenie loved the combination, which pleased the Sultan very much, hence the name Hünkar Beğendi, meaning Sultan’s Delighted!

I absolutely adore this dish, especially the beğendi sauce; it is well worth the effort it takes to make as it has a distinctive smoky flavour, that is very special. Once you’ve mastered it, you can also serve it with any grilled meat, chicken and, for a vegetarian option, topped with baked vegetables. Biber salçası (red pepper paste) adds warmth and a rich depth of flavour.

Prepare ahead and variation The smoked aubergine can be prepared a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator, as can the beğendi sauce. Warm the sauce in a pan over a low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, just before serving. If you prefer, you can use chunks of beef instead of the traditional lamb.

I hope you enjoy this very special dish, Hünkar Beğendi, from my cookbook ISTANBUL, Delicious Recipes from the Heart of the City. You can get a copy here worldwide.

Hünkar Beğendi; Sultan’s Lamb Stew Over Smoked Aubergine and Béchamel Sauce

 

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Stews

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

• For the lamb stew
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) leg of lamb, cut into 3 x 3 cm (1¼ x 1¼ in) cubes
• 15 g (1 tablespoon) salted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 green (bell) pepper or 2 sivri biber, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon double concentrated tomato purée (paste)
• 1 tablespoon biber salçası (red pepper paste, see page xx for homemade)
• 400 g (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes or 4 medium, ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 85 ml (3½ fl oz) water
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• small handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
• For the beğendi sauce
• 3 medium aubergines (eggplants)
• juice of ½ small lemon
• 55 g (2 oz) butter
• 85 g (3 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour (use gluten-free flour, if preferred)
• 585 ml (20 fl oz) whole milk, warmed
• 120 g (4 oz) taze kaşar or medium Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Put the butter and a tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide, heavy pan (one with a diameter of 28 cm/11 in works well) and warm over a medium-high heat. Stir in the lamb and brown to seal in their juices for 2–3 minutes, then remove the lamb with a slotted spoon and place in a dish. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, stir in the onions and peppers and sauté them over a medium-high heat for 4 minutes; they will soften and shrink in size. Stir in the garlic, tomato purée and biber salçası and combine well for a minute. Return the lamb chunks to the pan, along with their juices and combine well. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and water (swirling a little of the water in the can to capture any remaining bits of tomato) and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 50–60 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the lamb pieces are tender. Turn off the heat and taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Allow the stew to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
2. While the lamb stew is simmering, make the sauce.
3. Cook the aubergines on a barbecue grill or over an open gas flame on a high heat, turning them every 3–4 minutes using tongs, until the outer skin is charred and blistered and the inner flesh soft. Depending on their size, this should take about 25 minutes. Alternatively, if you prefer not to have the smoky flavour, prick the aubergines in 4–5 places and bake in an oven preheated to 200°C fan/220°C (425°F) for 40 minutes, or until they feel very soft when pressed and the skins are wrinkled, turning them over halfway through cooking. When cool enough to handle, peel away the burnt skins and discard the stalks.
4. Place the aubergine flesh in a colander and gently squeeze to drain away any bitter juices. Chop coarsely, then put in a bowl with the lemon juice and mash with a fork. Make the béchamel sauce by melting the butter in a pan set over a medium heat. Add the flour and beat well to make a roux (foundation of a white sauce). Slowly add the warm milk, whisking continuously to get a smooth consistency, then cook for about 4 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Add the mashed aubergine with a little salt and black pepper and simmer for a further 2 minutes. Add the cheese, stir for a minute, then remove from the heat.
5. Spread the beğendi sauce over plates and top with the lamb stew, then sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot, perhaps with the regal İç Pilav, if you wish, as an accompaniment.

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