The Secret Life of Eggplant Brûlée

How a vegetarian restaurant on the edge of Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market turned eggplant into pure magic (and how to make it at home).

Shalom from Israel,

There are only a couple of times in my life where I've tasted something that I considered to be a "revelation" - those "What is happening in my mouth right now?" moments. One that comes to mind is the Katz's pastrami egg roll at RedFarm in New York, where the pastrami fat renders and liquifies during frying, providing a burst of unbelievable fatty flavor in each bite. But today, I want to tell you about another revelation, found at a restaurant sitting just on the periphery of Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market.

Tzemach, tucked around the block from its more famous and rambunctious sister restaurant Mahaneyehuda, is part of Israeli celebrity chef Assaf Granit's global empire, with acclaimed restaurants throughout Israel and in London, Berlin, and Paris (one Michelin star!). It's a vegetarian restaurant inspired by seasonal ingredients purchased at the market next door - you'll often spot their chefs darting through the market's alleys grabbing fresh vegetables and herbs.

That First Bite

The moment I first tasted their eggplant brûlée, I knew I'd encountered something extraordinary. A beautiful eggplant crème with a ready-to-crack caramelized sugar top, sprinkled with Atlantic sea salt and shatta chili pepper. That first bite is an explosion of contrasts - crunchy and creamy, smokey and buttery, nutty and sweet, with a peppery finish. My immediate reaction was, "That's really f*cking good, you should eat that right now" as I pushed it toward my lunch companion, Justin.

The original eggplant brûlée at Tzemach retaurant in Jerusalem.

Word Gets Around

These days, when people ask me for a Jerusalem restaurant recommendation, I tell them Tzemach but with a warning: don't even bother unless you get the eggplant brûlée. My friend Cindy took this advice perhaps too seriously, visiting three times during her last short visit to Jerusalem. When she got back to New York, she tried making it from a random recipe she found online. Despite my warning that, "You can make it, but it won't taste anything like the one at Tzemach," she forged ahead. Let's just say that according to my sources it didn't end well.

Cracking the Code

My own journey to recreate this dish got an unexpected boost when I caught Assaf Granit demonstrating it on "Chef Games," one of Israel's top food shows. He casually threw some roasted eggplant, melted butter, and tahini into a blender, piped the cream into a bowl, topped it with sugar, and brûléed it. No measurements, of course, and I'm certain he held back at least one secret - there's no way that butter isn't browned, given the distinct nutty flavor that can't be mistaken for anything else.

Baladi eggplants at Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem.

So I got to work. Armed with roasted eggplant, tahini, and brown butter, I tested four different ratios, anticipating different results with each combination. After much trial - but no error, because every ratio was delicious - I finally nailed the texture and taste I was looking for. It might not be an exact replica of Tzemach's dish, but it's definitely close enough. Cindy, this one's for you.

Harry

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My version of Tzemach’s eggplant brûlée.

EGGPLANT BRÛLÉE

A silky, savory-sweet appetizer that reimagines the classic crème brûlée using roasted eggplant and tahini.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours minimum

Equipment

• Sheet pan

• Deep mixing bowl

• Immersion (hand) blender

• Kitchen torch

• 4 (4-ounce) ramekins

• Colander

• Light-colored saucepan

• Fine-mesh sieve

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds total)

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• ⅓ cup high-quality tahini, room temperature (In the US, I recommend Soom or Seed & Mill.)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Granulated sugar for topping (about 4 tablespoons)

• Maldon sea salt flakes, for finishing

• Red chili flakes, for finishing (I don’t like things too hot, so I use Gochugaru or Aleppo chili flakes which aren’t too aggressive.)

Method

Roast the Eggplant

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Pierce eggplants several times with a fork and place on sheet pan.

3. Roast for 45-50 minutes until completely collapsed and very tender when pierced.

4. Split eggplants lengthwise while hot and place cut-side down in a colander.

5. Let drain for 15-20 minutes to remove excess liquid.

6. Carefully scoop flesh from skin, discarding as many seeds as possible as well as heavily charred pieces.

Prepare Brown Butter

If it’s your first time preparing brown butter, do not fret! Here’s a great video detailing exactly how to make it!

1. In a light-colored saucepan, heat butter over medium heat.

2. Cook until milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Strain through fine-mesh sieve and let cool to room temperature.

Make Base

1. Place warm eggplant flesh in deep bowl.

2. Blend with immersion blender until completely smooth.

3. With blender running, gradually stream in brown butter until incorporated.

4. Add room temperature tahini in a slow stream while blending.

5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. For extra smoothness, pass mixture through fine-mesh sieve.

7. Divide evenly among four ramekins.

Chill & Serve

1. Cover ramekins and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar evenly over each portion.

3. Using kitchen torch, caramelize sugar until amber and crisp. Here’s a short video showing exactly how it’s done.

4. Let stand 2 minutes.

5. Sprinkle each portion with a small pinch of Maldon sea salt flakes and chili flakes. Serve.

Notes

• Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature when blending for the smoothest texture.

• Adjust consistency if needed:

  • To thicken: Add additional tahini, 1 tablespoon at a time

  • To thin: Add warm brown butter, 1 teaspoon at a time

• Can be made up to 2 days ahead; keep chilled and covered.

• Add brûlée topping only just before serving.

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