Shakshuka

Unlike my wife Marci, who ate a soft-boiled egg every single day when she was a young child, I don’t remember what my parents prepared for me for breakfast on weekdays when I was an adolescent. We didn’t have sugary cereals in the house, nor did we keep bagels around for a quick meal, and as a child, yogurt would never pass through my lips. Weekends, I remember, but during the week, a blank.

When there was more time on a Saturday or Sunday my father might make French toast, always cut into bite-size pieces, I assume to get a little crispier around each edge. I added syrup – never real maple syrup (it didn’t exist in our house) – and then sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top. On occasion we had waffles, crispy and far better than pancakes, the divots holding pools of melted butter. I remember when I was very young adding more and more butter to my waffles, thinking as it melted that it had vanished. When we were away in the country my father cooked bacon, breakfast potatoes, and eggs, always scrambled for me. That was a real treat that resulted in major disputes among my brothers and I about who got which slices of bacon. We devised an equitable system to divey it up.

At some point my parents stopped preparing breakfast for us, weekend or not, and we were on our own. During the week, I must have purchased food at school, often a Philadelphia soft pretzel or a Tastykake Oatmeal Raisin Bar. Not the healthiest, I now admit, but much better than Marci who graduated from her daily soft-boiled egg to a Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tart and a Coke each morning while her friend drove her to high school in a smoke-filled car. She eats much healthier now.

A trip to Israel around the age of 13 taught me that breakfast did not always need to be sweet. The hotels at which we stayed had huge buffets; piles of salads and cheeses, bowls of hummus and yogurt, and fish, lots of fish. I couldn’t figure out who was eating all that pickled herring for breakfast. I suppose I ate scrambled eggs for breakfast on that trip, but I don’t really recall. I definitely did not eat (and don’t even remember seeing) shakshuka.

Shakshuka is a middle eastern dish with North African origins in which eggs are poached in a stew of spiced tomatoes and peppers. Often described as Israeli, I’m sure variations are eaten by people from all over the region.

When our kids were little – three and five years old – we went on vacation to West Virginia with some friends from graduate school. While there, we pranced around with piles of kids, took an old-fashioned train ride, came upon a vast variety of mushrooms on our walks, and avoided a blackout that covered much of the Northeast US. Our friend Ariel who was visiting with his family from Israel, promised one morning to make us a proper Israeli breakfast. While it did not include piles of fish, he made a huge skillet of shakshuka.

Ariel toiled with the pots and pans while we played games and took a walk with the little ones. We had no idea what he was preparing and were a little nervous, as he was not recognized as particularly proficient in the kitchen. But when he served it, we were thrilled. Steaming and saucy, with warm pita to dip in the runny egg yolks and wipe up any remaining drips, his shakshuka was a success.

While not exactly weekday morning fare, shakshuka is a great savory breakfast that even rivals waffles or a Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tart and a Coke.

Shakshuka

There are as many different versions of shakshuka as there are cooks in the kitchen. Some have a heavier hand with spices or are flavorful with peppers, but if you don’t like it spicy, or peppers are not your thing, leave them out. And shakshuka has spread from its tomato base to include virtually any kind of vegetable-based stew containing poached eggs. Think green shakshuka with spinach, leeks, kale, or Brussels sprouts.

Shakshuka can be gussied up with all manner of additions. Crumbled feta cheese adds a salty bite, and a sprinkling of fresh herbs is a nice touch. A few slices of ripe avocado wouldn’t feel out of place, and don’t forget pita or good bread for dipping and to clean up every remaining drop.

Shakshuka is a perfect brunch dish that can easily serve a crowd. The stewed vegetables can be made ahead of time, refrigerated, and reheated. All you’ll need to do is add the eggs a few minutes before you are ready to eat.

45 minutes, serves 2

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 yellow or red pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, finely minced or crushed

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp. cumin powder

1 tsp. sweet paprika

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste

1 – 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with juices

2 scallions finely chopped

2 Tbsp. parsley chopped, for garnish

1. Heat olive oil on medium in a heavy, 8 to 10-inch skillet. Add the diced onion and red or yellow pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, until soft but not browned, about 7 minutes. If it is cooking too quickly or seems dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.
2. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne, and allow the spices to bloom for about a minute. Add tomatoes and their juices, raise heat to high, and stir to combine. When boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer until somewhat thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Mix in chopped scallions.
3. Using a spoon, make four wells in the stew and crack an egg into each. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the whites of the eggs have set, but the yolks are still runny (or cooked to your preferred texture). Serve hot in skillet.

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