Introduction
This wildly flavorful way to start the day is a riff on çilbir, a Turkish breakfast dish of yogurt, eggs and chile butter. We couldn’t resist adding something onion-y and fresh (sautéed scallions and a big ol’ salad) because, well, it’s what we do! If poaching isn’t your thing, just fry the eggs – but do so over low heat so that the whites are silky and the yolk thickens but stays gloriously runny. (header photo: Gentl + Hyers)
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- 3-4 scallions, sliced on the bias
- 2 tablespoons butter or ghee
- ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- ¼ teaspoon urfa biber chileSumac
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup olive oilBlack pepper
- ¾ cup delicious, thick plain yogurt
- 1 small garlic clove, minced2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- Two big handfuls of soft salad greens
- ½ Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
- Parsley and cilantro leaves (
- optional)Garlic toast
Instructions
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm a bit of olive oil and add the scallions. Let them cook undisturbed for a minute; you’re aiming for a bit of color and caramelization here. Give them a sprinkle of salt and, once they’re softened and a touch browned, set them aside.
Turn the heat down to medium-low, drop the butter into the pan and, once it’s melted, add the Aleppo, urfa, a pinch of salt (if the butter is unsalted) and a pinch of sumac. Let it sizzle for a minute and then remove it from the heat. Leave everything in the pan so the butter continues to infuse while you prep the rest of the dish.
Stir the lemon juice and zest with olive oil, salt, pepper and big pinch of sumac to make a dressing for the greens. Stir the yogurt with minced garlic and a good pinch of sea salt.
Fill a small pot with water and bring it to a boil. Break each egg into a small bowl to ready it for poaching. Add the cider vinegar to the boiling water, give it a vigorous stir to create a little whirpool, and kill the heat. Immediately (and gently) tip the eggs, one at a time, into the water. Cover the pot and set a timer for 3 minutes. A minute before they’re ready, toss the greens, cucumber and herbs with the lemon-sumac dressing.
When time’s up, use a large spoon or small flat strainer to remove the eggs from the water. (Dry on a paper towel, if needed.) Spoon the garlicky yogurt onto serving plates and mound the salad beside it. Place the eggs on the yogurt, season with salt and pepper, and pour the chile butter over the eggs and the yogurt. Garnish with sautéed scallions and a piece of garlic-rubbed toast.
