Breakfast, lunch, or supper? Try Shakshuka

 

Don’t you love saying that word? I like the way it rolls off the tongue. Shakshuka. In case you didn’t know, it’s an African dish that has become popular in this country, as have many dishes from Africa and the Middle East. And you really can have it for breakfast, lunch, or a light supper. I see it as part of a growing popularity of eggs as the main protein of a meal. You may see similar recipes called Eggs in Purgatory, though that dish sometimes incorporates more ingredients.

Shakshuka is basically tomatoes poached in a spicy tomato mixture. The name derives from an Arabic word meaning mixture. Once you get basic idea of shakshuka, you can tailor it to your own taste. For example, many recipes—there are lots on the internet—call for bell peppers, which I routinely leave out because neither my taste buds nor my stomach welcome them. On the other hand, I might slip an anchovy in there for earthiness.

Most recipes start with onion and garlic sauteed in olive oil. Cumin is the traditional spice, often given a quick sauté when the garlic and onions are almost limp, so that the spice releases its flavors. You might also add some chili powder or coriander or paprika—you want the warm spices of North Africa. Want more spice? A bit of red pepper or Siracha sauce. Stir in canned diced tomatoes, one or two 14 oz. cans according to how many you’re serving, and let the mixture simmer a bit until it thickens some.

Take the back of a wooden spoon and make little holes or nests in the sauce, according to the number of people you’re feeding—most people will eat one or two. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until eggs reach the desired degree of doneness—I like them soft, still runny a bit, but many prefer them almost hard. Sprinkle dish with chopped parsley or green onion, maybe some sliced avocado. Serve immediately with pita or baguette slices—something to soak up that sauce. Breakfast potatoes make a nice accompaniment.

For a variation, look online for a recipe for green shakshuka, which abandons tomatoes in favor of a spinach or chard base and incorporates cilantro and serrano chiles. This version, less common, can be topped with chopped fresh dill and of course avocados are almost a must.

The one problem, for me, with shakshuka is that no one else in the household will eat it (they don’t like poached eggs), and a whole skillet of the sauce is too much for me. Recently I ran onto a recipe for shakshuka for one and decided to try it. It called for marinara sauce as the base and chickpeas, which I don’t particularly like, so I substituted. It did seem to me that marinara sauce moved the recipe across the Mediterranean to Italy, so I decided on Italian spices. But opening a jar of marinara for one serving sounded a bit wasteful. I used a small can of tomato sauce. Since I was mixing cultures, I dusted the top with pecorino. Here’s what I did:

Shakshuka for one

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 green onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced

¼ c. tomato sauce (freeze the rest for a winter soup)

¼ c. black beans

¼ tsp. mixed Italian herbs—you could just use oregano

Tiny pinch of red pepper flakes, and I mean tiny

1 large egg

Pecorino, grated

Sauté the onion and garlic in oil; add seasoning and sauté one minute. Do not let the garlic burn. Add tomato sauce and simmer a bit to thicken. (I put it into an oven-proof ramekin because with so little sauce in the skillet, it wasn’t deep enough to make a nest.) Crack the egg into the sauce, which may still be thinner than you’d like, and kind of push it around so that the egg is surrounded rather than floating on top. Take care not to break the egg. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake at 350 until egg is set to the firmness you want.

I really liked this! For my next adventure with poached eggs, I’m going to try a base of polenta with lots of cheddar and a few chopped vegetables in it. Stay tuned.

 

 

A light summer lunch

It’s been a while since I cooked for my friend, Heather. She was once a work-study student in my office (neither of us are saying how long ago) and after graduation worked for the publisher Harcourt Brace. I thought I had steered her toward a good literary career, but then she went off track and went to culinary school. Today she’s the chef at a popular, upscale bistro/restaurant.

I can’t remember when or why we started doing lunch at the cottage, but it was after my hip surgery when I couldn’t get out to meet anyone at restaurants. We took turns—I’d cook, and then next time she’d bring lunch. For me, it’s a bit intimidating to cook for someone with her culinary skills and background, but yesterday was my turn.

I fixed tomato slices with a tonnato sauce and an avocado/cucumber salad and served baguette slices.  Tonnato is an Italian tuna sauce that once you discover it, you may be tempted to use on everything from chicken and veal to vegetables. I even had a dab on the tuna that was left over the other night.

I’ve tried several recipes for tonnato and like this one best. Unfortunately, it is not the recipe in my cookbook, Gourmet on a Hot Plate (don’t let that stop you from using the book).

Sauce Ingredients:

5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3 oz. can good tuna packed in olive oil, drained

¼ c. mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. capers, drained

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 anchovy fillets

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dried basil

Put all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.

Use large, fresh tomatoes. Slice thickly, plate, and spoon sauce over. Pepper liberally but watch out for salt—the sauce is already a bit salty. Garnish with fresh basil (or chopped cilantro or parlsey, but basil is better). Average serving is two tomato slices, though I can usually only eat one.

Avocado/cucumber salad

1 medium cucumber, seeded and cubed

2 avocados, diced

4 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced

2 green onions, chopped

Salt and pepper

Juice of ¼ large lemon

Juice of 1 lime

2 Tbsp. crumbled Feta cheese

Mix it all together and chill well before serving. Serves four. Can be halved.

Heather said it was a perfect light summer lunch. Couldn’t ask for better praise.