Shakshuka!!!

A dish I enjoyed making even before my trip to Israel is shakshuka, which is eggs poached in tomato sauce.  Terrible renditions of this showed up at kibbutz dining halls for breakfast pretty often while I was there, with the eggs cooked solid over flavorless tomato sauce.  As bad as this sounds, when it is well made, there aren't any egg dishes I like more.

The one great rendition I had was at Dr. Shakshuka, an institution in Jaffa - the port city adjacent to Tel Aviv.  We had about 90 minutes of free time, and while it might have been well spent wandering the shuk looking for souveniers, I spent it having one of the best meals I've ever had with some great people.  We ordered the special, which we thought was going to be shakshuka and some salads.  This was the case for the first 45 minutes or so; perfectly cooked, runny eggs sitting on top of flavorful tomato sauce with big chunks of fresh tomato served with huge loaves of crusty bread, followed half a dozen different fresh salads.  One had a great lemon dressing over mixed greens, another was like a slightly less spicy kimchi.  I wish I had the right lens on my camera to have taken some good photos.

Anyway, the eggs and salads were followed by like 5 different meat and fish courses, which we weren't exactly expecting.  They were all very different, and all very delicious.  There was a beef stuffed cabbage dish, a delicately poached (I think) piece of white fish over a spicy red sauce, and what seemed kind of like a mixed grill with homemade merguez sausages.

Anyway, great shakshuka is attainable with basic pantry ingredients and it makes an excellent brunch, lunch, or dinner that is a nice departure from the norm.  It's also vegetarian, cheap, and easy to make.  I use a non-stick 12-inch skillet with a lid for this.

I really just follow this recipe exactly, so I'll go light on details. Basically, sautee onions (1 small chopped) and hot peppers (3 farm share - 2 jalepenos and 1 serrano) until softened, then add 1 tablespoon paprika and 1 teaspoon cumin.

Cook another couple minutes, until garlic is softened.  Open a 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, and crush them a little with your hand as you add them to the pan.

Allow to cook down for about 20 minutes, then crack as many eggs as you would like in an even distribution over the tomato sauce.  Cover, and cook over medium for 4-5 minutes or until the whites are cooked.  Spoon sauce over edges of whites as they finish cooking.

While not super-traditional, or so I understand, top with a tablespoon or two of chopped parsley and about 1/4 cup of crumbled feta if so inclined.

Serve with warmed pita or crusty bread, and enjoy!