Hey, September, how about you chill out a little bit? Is anyone else feeling overextended and overcommitted this month? It just goes to show that even if you take that August vacation, all that crap you have to do just doubles up in September, sitting there, waiting for you, like a jerk.
In any event, my tendency to stretch myself thin has meant that the cooking at home has been really suffering lately — these are the days when it seems impossible to throw together something quickly without resorting to something more akin to food “assembling” (i.e. sandwiches, cereal, condiments — you get the picture).
Fear not, as I have the perfect, fast, healthy weeknight dinner to cure your TV dinner blues: a hearty and comforting Shakshouka (a dish that is delicious AND fun to say!). It’s reminiscent of my inaugural “breakfast for dinner” column, in that it combines tomatoes and eggs (and that it’s a common breakfast food in Libya), but it’s got more of a Middle Eastern twist. Shakshouka consists of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce, and is often served up with lots of bread to sop up the sauce and yolk. We like to crumble salty Bulgarian feta over top, drizzle it with a cool, tangy tahini yogurt sauce, and serve with toasted pita wedges, pickles and our favourite hummus. Trust me, once you try it, it will become a weeknight staple.
If you have any sauce left, this works pretty easily for lunch. To get a similar egg experience, soft boil two eggs and pack them separately — you can peel them and cut them up into the reheated sauce the next day. For additional kick, only seed half the jalapeno pepper.
Hot tip: to avoid getting the heat from the pepper on your fingers while chopping (which for me, always inevitably winds up in my eye), lightly coat your fingers with a thin layer of vegetable oil. The oil will create a protective film from the burn: simply wash the oil off your hands after chopping. If you’re looking for a good hummus, the Fontaine Santé brand is our favourite. The Sabra and Sunflower Kitchen brands a close second.
Shakshouka (Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
Adapted from smittenkitchen.com
Serves 2 (with leftovers for lunch)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 28 oz can whole peeled or diced tomatoes, with juices
1 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
Salt to taste
4 eggs
2 pita breads, toasted and cut into wedges
Crumbled Feta cheese, Haloumi or queso fresco
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Hummus
2 large Kosher pickles, sliced into spears
For tahini sauce:
Combine in a bowl:
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp tahini paste
juice of ½ a lemon
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1. In a wide, shallow saucepan that has a cover, heat olive oil on medium-low heat. Add onions and peppers, cooking gently until they begin to soften (about 3–4 minutes). Add cumin, paprika, and coriander and stir to coat.
2. In a separate bowl, crush the whole tomatoes with the juices with your fingers, or pulse in a food processor or blender, until broken up (not necessary if using diced). Add tomatoes to pan with water and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cooking gently for about 15 minutes to let flavours meld a bit. This is a good time to prep your tahini sauce and remaining ingredients.
3. Taste the sauce, adding salt as needed. Bring the sauce to a medium simmer and crack the eggs into the sauce, spaced evenly around the surface. Turn the heat down slightly, cover and allow to cook until the whites are set but the yolks remain soft (about 5 minutes).
4. Working quickly, divide eggs with sauce into two bowls (you may want to run a knife through your yolks to prevent them from cooking further). Top with parsley, crumbled cheese and a drizzle of tahini sauce. Serve with toasted pita, pickles and hummus on the side.
Sara Chan is a Toronto-based entertainment lawyer, food enthusiast, unprofessional home chef and even less professional food photographer. Her favourite food group is pork. Sara’s column appears every other Tuesday here on lawandstyle.ca.