Shakshuka

[Dak]

I recently found this recipe and love how easy and delicious it is. For all my fellow tomato aficionados, yet another reason to love tomatoes!



Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce]



Serves 4 to 6


1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas, for serving


Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.


http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/04/shakshuka/

[coronabarb]

Looks delicious Dak! Another way to prepare my fresh hen eggs.

[NarnianGarden]

Oh yum, one of my staple foods. Easy to make, and very versatile. Almost any seasonal vegetable can be worked into this recipe. Fast and cheap, not to mention tasty!!

[Dak]

I hope you like it, Barb! We had leftovers for lunch today, it was even better having sat for day.

@NarniaGarden, I hadn't thought yet of adding to it, but you're right all kinds of vegetables could be added, mushrooms, squash come to mind. I'd love to hear some variations?

[NarnianGarden]

I have used diced zucchini (squash), sweet peppers, kale leaves, also to make it more nutritious, added some chick peas (cooked of course)...

[Dak]

Mmmmm, great ideas, thanks.

[Vespertino]

I love Shakshuka!! Good call Dak!
I have another shakshuka variation from Ottolenghi, if you like saffron it's a very nice one to try:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/19/yotam-ottolenghi-breakfast-recipe-shakshuka

It works nicely with goat cheese too if you don't have any feta around.

[Dak]

That looks really good, Vespertini! I just may have to try that recipe this week, can't wait to have my own fresh tomatoes to cook with again.

[Vespertino]

The cumin and saffron go so well together with the peppers and tomatoes. It's a great dish if you're looking to low carb, but I must admit it goes nicely with a piece of crusty bread. If you don't have any fresh peppers, jarred ones work just fine.

[heirloomtomaguy]

Alright you talked me into cooking this on my day off. Sounds amazing!

[Nematode]

This is a staple here on heavy rotation.
To make it extra special, try your own paprika.
Jimmy nardello and corbaci make great paprika. Deseed and send them through the spice mill. Add a little salt for finer grind.
Oh waaayyy more mild paprika can go in this to pump up the flavor, more cumin too!
Sub cilantro for parsley if desired...

[Goodloe]

HOW did I miss this?? Dang, that sounds good!!

[imp]

It is a good dish.

[GoDawgs]

Last year Shakshuka was a fad thing on the tv cooking programs; Martha Stewart, some of the Food Channel chefs, etc. Even one of the travel programs. I really need to stop procrastinating and try this as I've got the feta in the reefer.

Thanks for posting this!