Nourish

Have you heard of Nigella Lawson's Turkish Eggs? Of course you have, they're all over Instagram, even months after the BBC series At My Table ended. Well, if you haven't tried Turkish eggs yet, I'm hoping that my take on them will convince you to give them a go.

They are, in one word, lovely. Genuinely so. And completely worth all the effort it takes to make them. Indeed, Nigella's version is not for the faint hearted: her recipes requires at least three pans, and supposedly none of the steps should be made ahead of time...

Pshaawww. First thing in the morning? I never was much of one for breakfast, and the resulting dish, as delightful as it is, falls just short of fulfilling for lunch. The following version is substantial. You can use up whatever vegetables you happen to have around, whether raw or cooked left-overs: the mushrooms and collard greens are merely suggestions, just substitute with whatever you have on hand. Each step is broken down to accommodate advanced preparation. So you could have these eggs for breakfast if you want!

Nigella's Turkish Eggs, Pimped up
Serves 2 substantially, or 4 somewhat lightly

2 Tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp fennel seeds
3Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 handful mushrooms
1 bunch collard greens or kale
200g/1 cup Greek yoghurt
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs, fridge cold
60ml/ ¼ cup white vinegar
herbs for garnishing

Bring a tall pan of water to a gentle simmer on a medium to medium-high heat. Add the white vinegar.
When the water is simmering, crack the eggs, one at a time, into the pan. Use a slotted spoon to gently lift the egg from the bottom of the pan to make sure it hasn't stuck, before cracking the next egg.
When all the eggs are in the pan, lower the heat to medium-low. Once the eggs are floating freely, leave them to cook for 2-3 minutes. Have a bowl of ice-cold water ready on the side. 
Transfer the poached eggs with a slotted spoon to the bowl of cold water. 
At this point, the eggs can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a day. To reheat, simply place the poached eggs in a pan of hot -not boiling- water without any vinegar, for about 2 minutes. 
For ease of serving, remove any straggly bits of egg white before reheating.

Remove the root-end from the garlic cloves, crush and peel. Chop finely.
Top and tail the onion, cut in half, peel, and slice thinly, lengthwise.
Depending on the type of mushrooms you have, tear or slice them into slivers.
Remove the stalks from the collard greens or kale. Wash if necessary, and chop finely.

Place the paprika and fennel seeds in a heat-proof bowl, and set aside.
In a clean pan, melt the butter over a medium hight heat. Let the butter foam and spit. When the sizzling stops, pour the butter over the prepared spices. The butter should be evenly browned and nutty-smelling: this is what the French call beurre noisette, also known as brown butter to everyone else.
Set aside at room temperature. The butter can be reheated later if it solidifies.
Using the same pan, heat the olive oil on a low setting. Stir the onion and mushrooms constantly to allow the vegetables to pick up the bits of browned butter, about 5 minutes. 
Turn up the heat to medium-high, and sauté for 6-7 minutes more, or until the onions are translucent and limp.
Add the garlic, and stir for a further 2 minutes. 
Throw in the greens, and stir-fry until the shreds have wilted and turned a vibrant green.
Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the Greek yoghurt.
Season to taste. Spoon into serving bowls, or set aside until you are ready to heat over a medium heat -or serve at room temperature.

To plate up: Drain the hot, poached eggs, and pat dry with some kitchen paper.
Place the egg(s) in the centre of the yoghurty greens, and drizzle with the spiced brown butter.
Garnish with a few sprigs of herbs, and serve with a few chunky slices of good bread.

Nigella's recipe calls for Aleppo pepper, or Pil Biber, a ground chili with a gentle heat. Use it if you can get your hand on some, or substitute with paprika as above or use another ground chili.
Should there be any left over yoghurt-laced vegetables, they would be delicious on an open-faced sandwich or mixed with some cooked grains to make a salad.



Bon App'!