Çilbir (Turkish Poached Eggs with Garlic Yogurt)

Step 1

Wash and chop the dill and finely mince or grate the garlic.

Step 2

Either in a medium bowl or directly onto your serving dish, combine the yogurt, dill, garlic, and salt and pepper. Mix well and then set aside to "marinate" while preparing the remainder of the dish.

Step 3

There are several ways you can poach the eggs, including cracking them gently into a swirling pool of hot water OR using a "spoon" hack method. There are also egg poaching pans and silicone molds. Follow this method for poached eggs for all my top tips and tricks! However, the basic gist is:Bring a medium saucepan of water to a gentle boil (when fine air bubbles begin to rise), then add the vinegar (this will help stop the eggs from dispersing in the water).

Step 4

Meanwhile, crack your eggs, one at a time, into a small sieve to remove any of the "watery" whites (for better shaped poached eggs). Then transfer the eggs to separate small bowls (which makes it easier to pour them into the water).

Step 5

When the water is ready, mix it with a spoon to create a vortex and then pour the first egg into the center of the pan. Allow it to gently move to one side and begin forming before pouring the second egg into the other side of the saucepan (so they don’t "stick").

Step 6

Allow each egg to cook for between 2-3 minutes based on how soft you want the yolk to be, then use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water to stop them from overcooking.Feel free to place them in an ice bath or rinse with cold water to eliminate any leftover vinegar flavor and stop the cooking process. Though this isn’t necessary. You could also transfer to paper towels to drain.

Step 7

At the same time as poaching the eggs, prepare the paprika butter by melting the butter in a small skillet, then adding the smoked paprika and stirring well for just a few seconds.It’s best to remove it from the heat almost immediately after adding the paprika, to reduce the risk of burning it.

Step 8

To assemble the Çılbır, place the yogurt base first, drizzle with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil, the paprika butter, and finally, top with the poached eggs. Sprinkle with additional dill and some Aleppo pepper over the top.

Step 9

Make ahead: the garlicky yogurt base tastes even better after some time "marinating," so feel free to make it a day or two in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Then, remove it 20-30 minutes before enjoying the cilbir to bring it back to room temperature.Store: cilbir is best served immediately, while the eggs and melted paprika butter are at the optimal temperatures. So I recommend eating it immediately.