Cilbir | Turkish Eggs with Harissa Butter

In this variation of Turkish eggs, also known as cilbir, the eggs are fried in ghee rather than poached, and a duo of warm, spicy harissa butter and herbaceous avocado relish steps in for the traditional Aleppo pepper that tops the yogurt.

To make the yogurt

1. Combine the yogurt, garlic, and salt in a bowl. Let sit while making the rest of the dish.

To make the avocado relish

1. Next, cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Cut into the avocado lengthwise, then crosswise, being careful not to cut into the avocado skin. Use a spoon and scoop out the avocado pieces. Place in a bowl.
2. Mince the parsley and add to the avocado along with the lemon juice, sesame seeds, and salt. Gently stir to combine.

   To make the fried eggs

   1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add half of the ghee and once melted, add the egg. Fry the egg, spooning some of the ghee over the egg whites to help set. Once the whites are set and starting to crisp around the edges, remove the egg and repeat the process with the remaining egg. Wipe out the skillet and use to make the harissa butter.

   To make the harissa butter

   1. Return the wiped skillet to low heat. Add the butter, let melt, then stir in the harissa paste. Start with a small amount of the paste, adding more as you desire. Once the paste is fully incorporated into the melted butter, you're ready to assemble the dish.
   2. Divide the yogurt between two dishes, smoothing over the bottom. Top each with an egg, followed by a drizzle of harissa butter, then half of the avocado relish. Serve with crusty bread for dipping, if desired.

      Farm Team Tips

      Taste test your harissa paste before adding it to the butter. If it's on the spicier side, start with a small amount and add more to taste.

      This dish is traditionally served with room-temperature yogurt (which makes sense; cold yogurt with a hot egg isn't the most appealing mouthful!). Measure your yogurt out about an hour before you plan to make the recipe.