Don’t feel bad if you’re thinking “Shack-shoo-whaaaa?”
This was also my initial thought when I first started seeing it EVERYWHERE.
For those of you that might not be aware—I’m usually the last person to know about trends when it comes to technology, pop culture, and the like. I mean, I still have a yahoo email address for pete’s sake!
But when it comes to culinary trends, I refuse to be in the dark. So, when I started seeing it everywhere, I decided I’d better learn what all the fuss was about.
I now know why it has become so popular.
It.
Is.
GOOOOOOOOOD.
The term “shakshuka” essentially means “haphazard mixture.” I’m assuming it got its name because you basically throw a bunch of ingredients into a pan and turn up the heat. It’s that simple. Although I’m usually not a fan of “easy” recipes (what can I say, I like a challenge), this one is so tasty. I had to hide it from myself in my fridge after I made it because I just kept eating… and eating…. and eating…
It originated in Northern Africa and Israel. The classic dish is generally made up of onions, tomatoes, and eggs; but since its popularity has grown, the ingredients vary depending on the region you consume it in. In fact, if you’ve ever had eggs in purgatory (Italian) or heuevos rancheros (Spanish), you’re more familiar with this dish than you think. Mine is based on the traditional recipe with a few minor tweaks. I love this dish because it has amazing flavors, it only takes one pan for easy clean up, and it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Yields: 8 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1, 28 oz can whole, peeled tomatoes
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 packet of Splenda (or 2 tsp sugar)
4 cups chopped spinach
3 oz fat free feta cheese
8 eggs
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
1. Heat olive oil and garlic in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add onions and peppers and cook uncovered until soft ~5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and their juices, squeezing tomatoes with hands to break up into small pieces while adding. Add cumin, coriander, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and sugar. Cook uncovered until tomato sauce thickens ~15 minutes.
4. When liquid is almost gone, add spinach and stir until wilted.
5. Add feta. Using a spoon, make 8 indentations in the sauce. Break eggs into these “divots” and cover. Cook over med/high heat (sauce should be at a gentle simmer) X ~4 minutes, or until whites become opaque and the yolks remain runny.
6. Remove from heat and plate sauce with 2 eggs over top. Sprinkle with cilantro.
The Cook’s 2 Cents:
· Although I’m usually anti-carbs, this dish definitely benefits from a soft bread served on the side to help soak up the sauce.
· I know cilantro is a little controversial. People either love it or hate it. Well, for all my cilantro haters out there: trust me—use it in this dish!! It makes it so much more flavorful. I recently did a blind taste test with a few of said cilantro haters—and they preferred the cilantro over parsley! Come on…. TRRRRY IT!
· You can use diced tomatoes if you don’t want to get your hands dirty crushing the whole ones.
· Any bell peppers will do. I’ve used both red and yellow and they both taste great. It just depends on what you want the final product to look like.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: ~2 cups
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Calories: 258 Fat: 13g Sodium: 717mg Carbs: 16g Fiber: 4g Sugars: 8g Protein: 18g
