Shakshuka (Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce)
Shakshuka is our Recipe of the Month for May 2016! Shakshuka is a delicious egg dish popular in North Africa, but similar foods can be found in many regions. It's made in a skillet and uses plenty of tomatoes. You can use canned tomatoes, but we recommend our fresh, local, homegrown tomatoes.
[caption id="attachment_5029" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Thanks to David Lebovitz for the photo and recipe idea.[/caption]
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 hot pepper, stemmed, sliced in half, deseeded and diced, or chile flakes to taste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cored and diced (or 28 ounces of diced or crushed tomatoes from a can)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp honey
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 cup spinach or kale, coarsely chopped
1 cup feta cheese
4-6 eggs
Instructions:
- In a wide skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, red bell pepper, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add hot pepper, salt, pepper, and spices. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, and vinegar. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, until sauce has thickened a little. Stir in spinach or kale.
- Turn off the heat and stir feta into the tomato sauce. With the back of a spoon, make an indentation for each egg, and then crack the egg into it. Turn heat back up to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes until eggs are cooked to your preference.
Serve with bread and hot sauce. You can eat Shakshuka for breakfast or dinner, and this recipe makes 3-4 servings so it can work for your next family dinner!
