Stephanie’s Turkish Eggs
Here at Lepp Farm Market, we believe in balancing work with life – and encourage everyone on our team to do so! This means working passionately when we’re here, as much as it means playing hard on our time off. Back in April, our Grocery Manager Stephanie did just that!
Stephanie and her husband made the most of their vacation time with a trip to Europe, in which they visited 8 countries, 9 cities, and ate at countless little “mom and pop” style restaurants. Being a passionate food enthusiast, and well versed in great ingredients (she’s basically Charlotte’s appointed gatekeeper for what ends up on the pantry shelves of the market), Stephanie set out on the adventure of a lifetime with one thing on her mind: trying some really good food.
As you might imagine, her Instagram account lit up with envy-inducing snapshots of her new life experiences, including tantalizing dishes so vibrant they didn’t even need a filter. But the real magic happened when she got home. Once back in Abbotsford, Stephanie set out to recreate one her new favourite dishes she had tried in a little cafe in Budapest – Turkish Eggs
Here’s the story from Stephanie, on how she happened across June’s Recipe of the Month.
My husband and I ended off our European vacation in Budapest, Hungary – a highlight by far. The city, the culture, the people, the FOOD! Working at Lepp Farm Market, I’m constantly surrounded by incredible local ingredients and a team of passionate food enthusiasts, so planning a trip around these food experiences seemed like a given. Knowing that my husband and I would want to go out for a leisurely breakfast one of our mornings in Budapest, I had done some research ahead of time to track down a cozy cafe. My search ended with a bright, colourful, vibrant cafe in the “hip” part of town – Cirkusz. From the moment I walked in the front doors, I knew I had made the right choice!
When presented with the menu, choosing just one dish proved quite the task – I hummed and hawed, weighing my options. A woman sitting next to us was listening to me struggle, and enthusiastically recommended the Turkish Eggs- I fell in love!
Soft poached eggs, nestled in rich garlicky yogurt, topped with a browned butter, infused with chili flakes and fresh herbs, with a slice of toasted crusty bread for dipping – OH MY! Creamy, savoury, a little bit of kick, full of bold flavours, yet so simple; it was divine. Throughout our travels, we never ate at the same place twice. Cirkusz was the exception. I could not leave Budapest without having those eggs twice.
Once I arrived back in Abbotsford, I struggled with the realization that I might never be back to Budapest to eat at this restaurant again. I knew it was up to me to figure out a recipe for making my new favourite brunch at home.
So here are my Turkish Eggs, discovered in Hungary, now made in Canada. How’s that for international food?
Stephanie’s Turkish Eggs
Ingredients
4 eggs
1.5 cups thick plain yogurt (we love Canadian made Riviera Plain Yogurt – it’s just the right creamy consistency, you don’t want a thin yogurt for this dish)
1–2 cloves of garlic
1/4–1/2 tsp chili flakes
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
Fresh Dill and Parsley, chopped (fresh is key)
Crusty bread, toasted for dipping
Instructions
Bring yogurt to room temperature.
Stir crushed garlic into yogurt, set aside
Brown butter on medium heat in saucepan
Remove butter from heat once browned, and stir in chilli flakes and olive oil. Set aside.
Poach eggs to desired done ness. Need a refresher on how to poach the perfect egg?
Now it’s time to assemble your dish! Divide yogurt & garlic mixture into two bowls.
Nestle the poached eggs into the yogurt, and top with chili butter and fresh herbs.
Enjoy with a nice piece of crusty bread!
