| eggs poached in a tomato cumin-smoked paprika sauce with green beans |
At first, the idea of poaching eggs in a tomato-based sauce does not seem so appealing. Or at least not to me. But since making this dish, shakshouka, for a couple of years now, I know you can never go wrong with it.
This time around, I had some green beans that needed to be used, so I added some extra veg with the other ones.
By no means is this a traditional recipe, but it is surely a delicious one.
If you have never tried shakshouka before, this acts as a reminder that you should make this for breakfast as soon as possible. Serve it with a slice of freshly baked bread or a delicious crispy toast, and you have the best start of the day on your hands.
Follow along as I show you how I make my version of this really delectable dish.
This recipe and ingredient amounts will make two standard portions. I used:
For the spices, I used:
Cut cut cut, everything in the kitchen in my life starts with cutting onions into small cubes. The smaller the better they will turn into the sauce. You will be left with a smooth sauce, not one with pieces of onion. For some sauces, this is obviously desired. But for this one, I prefer the onion to basically cook away.
I cook the onions in some hot oil until they have some charring on them.
There is a delicate balance when burning/charring the food. The edges just start to get some colour, and for me, that is the goal.
The same goes for the tomato. I like to add some colour. When roasting/cooking tomatoes, they developed such a distinct sweet taste. I really just love it. Try giving them some good colour.
Whilst the tomato and onion are getting to know each other, I add some spices. I could have browned the peppers with the rest, but I forgot. So, at this stage, I added the cumin with the smoked paprika and red peppers. I also add a touch of water if the pan is getting a little bit too dry.
I added the beans at this stage as well. It is not a key ingredient, it is in fact unconventional I think. But life is about experimentation, so I must just as well!
I wanted to add some umami flavour, so I added a stock cube/block. I also added just enough water so that the eggs can be poached in the rich and spicy sauce.
Now the most important step and the star of the dish, that is the eggs! I used two eggs but could have used more. I just cracked them into the sauce. I know there are some tips and tricks on achieving a dryer shakshouka, but I like mine a bit on the more liquid side. Due to the stock and tomato, the stock will be thick but to some, it might not be thick enough. I think Adam Ragusea has a recipe that he calls "Shakshuka that isn't soupy" which he does under the broiler.
I added a lid so that the tops could also get some heat. But one might just have well left the lid off. I don't think it did anything really. I never bake my eggs with a lid, so I actually do not know why I added the lid.
And if everything went according to plan, you will be left with two perfectly poached eggs in a deliciously spicy and smoky tomato sauce.
I wish I had some freshly baked bread when I made this. Coming from a baker, it is really sad that I did not have some bread. Shameful I would say.
If everything went according to plan, you will have some nice runny yellow that will make the sauce even richer and decadent! Here is a short video of mine when I cut it.
I am a fan of runny yellow. I love it. I literally lick the plate clean when I eat baked eggs. The runny yolk in this dish is just as good. I really love it. Maybe in the future, though, I will make this with two eggs, one poached, one fried. I missed the texture and taste of a fried egg and I think it will add to the already delicious dish.
In any case, I hope you make this dish for yourself if you have not yet, or if it merely serves as a reminder.
Have you made something similar?
The photographs used in this post are my own. The writings are also my own. I did not follow a recipe for this dish, I just used what I had on hand. I do not claim to own the recipe of shakshouka.
