Chasing Smoke: Cooking over fire around the Levant
By Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich
About the recipe
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.
Recipe From
Chasing Smoke: Cooking over fire around the Levant
By Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich
2 aubergines
50 g / 1 ¾oz tahini paste
50 ml / 1 ¾ 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 10 g / ⅓ oz)
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (about 10 g / ⅓ oz)
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped (about 20 g / ¾ oz)
juice of 1–2 lemons (about 80 ml / 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 30 g / 1 oz)
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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