Sep 2

Sep 2 Shakshuka

Breakfast is the meal that should bring everyone together in order to supercharge the day - setting the gearshift for the high gear of your soul. So what better way to up your game than by dabbling in the tasty Moroccan, Tunisian, Israeli, Egyptian culinary classics? Yes… Breakfast in America.

Shakshuka is essentially a take on baked/poached eggs in tomato sauce. I gave the sauce an Italian treatment with some anchovies and red wine. I also used jalapeños, but you can use anaheim, poblano, fresno, chipotle, serrano peppers… However hot you want it!

INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 anchovy fillets
1 medium yellow onions chopped
3 large jalapeños cored, seeded, and diced
1 Tbsp paprika (I used smoked)
1 Tbsp cumin
4 cloves garlic sliced
½ cup red wine
1 28 oz can of plum tomatoes (San Marzano), crushed by hand
1 Tbsp tomato paste
½ cup water
1 bay leaf
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt & Pepper to taste
8 to 12 large eggs
8 oz feta cheese
¼ cup flat leaf parsley minced

Preheat oven to 420F.

In a large oven safe skillet over medium heat, add the oil, onion, and anchovy fillets. Sweat the mixture until just translucent and add the diced jalapeños. Saute for a few minutes and add in the paprika, cumin, and garlic. Toast the spices for a minute making sure not to brown the garlic. Add in the red wine and bring the heat to high. Reduce until the wine is fully evaporated. Add the plum tomato purée, tomato paste, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and adjust the consistency. If too thick, add water. If too thin, reduce the mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.

Crack eggs in a small container and add to the mixture individually to reduce breaking yolks and shell fragments. You can then

A. Top with feta cheese and put the pan in a 420F oven. Bake until the egg whites are just set. About 7 minutes. Finish by topping with fresh parsley.
OR
B. Keep the pan on the eye of the stove over medium low heat, cover, and cooking until the whites are just set. Top with the feta cheese and fresh parsley.

Serve over a thick, toasted slices of sourdough or on top of pan fried crispy potatoes.