Hünkâr beğendi, the sultan's delight, is a dish of the Ottoman palace kitchens of Istanbul. Its name says that the ruler approved, and the most popular story credits a palace cook who served it to a visiting French empress, Eugénie, in 1869, though food historians treat the tale with a raised eyebrow. What is beyond dispute is the dish itself: a small stew of lamb with tomato and peppers, set on a bed of beğendi, eggplants charred over a flame until smoky, then whipped into a creamy béchamel with grated cheese.

It remains a classic of Istanbul restaurants and a dish for occasions at home. It is not difficult, just a matter of two parts made side by side, and it makes a suitably regal dinner for a race at Istanbul Park.

The lamb stew

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter
• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless lamb shoulder
• 1 medium onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 sivri biber or 1 green bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) hot water
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

The beğendi

Ingredients

• 4 medium eggplants
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons (40 g) butter
• 3 tablespoons (25 g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) warm whole milk
• 3/4 cup (75 g) grated kaşar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

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