I've long been a believer that a good sauce can make a dish. In the case of this Spicy Red Shakshuka, the sauce is the dish.
Sure, there are a half-dozen sunny eggs dolloping the skillet, and the runny yolks are an attraction — but primarily for the way their creamy richness intermingles with the peppy sauce. In fact, my tasters loved the sauce so much, several, including me, were happy to have an entire bowl of it. The base is reliable canned crushed tomatoes (swap in diced if you prefer a chunkier sauce or, in the summer, about eight large ripe tomatoes, also diced). Then the layers of flavor come in: the mellowed pungency of garlic and onion, the kick of harissa and jalapeno and an earthy addition of cumin, paprika and caraway. It's wonderfully savory — tomato paste helps amplify that umami flavor — but tempered with sweetness and spice.
Shakshuka is closely associated with Israeli cuisine, but this recipe relies heavily on North Africa, which is where the dish probably made the jump from before spreading throughout the Middle Eastern nation. This sauce features a delectable blend of sweet, savory and spicy flavors, accented by cumin and caraway (trust us, it works). It pairs perfectly with rich, runny egg yolks.
The original recipe calls for filfel chuma, a chile- and garlic-heavy Libyan condiment, but we have taken up the authors' suggestion to swap in harissa, fresh jalapeno and garlic.
Make Ahead: The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Reheat it in the skillet over medium-low heat before adding the eggs, so they will set faster in the oven.
Spicy Red Shakshuka
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 to 2 tablespoons harissa, divided use
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground caraway seed
6 eggs
Chopped fresh herbs, such as dill or cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Crumbled feta, for garnish (optional)
Challah, pita or crusty bread, for serving, optional
In a 10-inch or larger skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the bell pepper and jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, 1 tablespoon harissa and the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 2 minutes.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, paprika, cumin and caraway. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until the sauce is thick and shiny, about 20 minutes. It will reduce somewhat, as well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or the remaining harissa, if you like it spicier.
Meanwhile, position the rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Using a large spoon, create little wells in the sauce. Carefully break 1 egg into a cup or ramekin, then slip it into one of the wells; repeat with the remaining eggs. (Cracking the egg into a cup first lets you inspect it for any runaway bits of shell.) Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 12 minutes, until the egg whites are set, but the yolks are still a little runny.
Transfer the skillet to the counter and sprinkle with the herbs and feta, if using. Drizzle with more olive oil, to taste. Serve the shakshuka directly from the skillet, with bread, if desired.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 190 calories, 10 g protein, 10 g fat, 17 g carbohydrate (10 g sugar), 185 mg cholesterol, 740 mg sodium and 4 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.
Adapted from Shuk: From Market to Table, the Heart of Israeli Home Cooking by Einat Admony and Janna Gur (Artisan, 2019)
Food on 03/18/2020