Shakshuka {Eggs in Hell}

Hi, everybody! I’d like to make an introduction if you haven’t already met. Everybody, meet Shakshuka! Also known as {Eggs in Hell} or {Spicy Eggs in Hell}.

This dish is traditionally Middle Eastern cuisine and can now be found in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Israel, Spain, and Morocco among others. Poached eggs in a tomato based chili sauce, shakshuka is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

The ingredients are rather simple to assemble. Feel free to mix and match the spices if you aren’t going for a completely traditional dish. I used chili powder, paprika, and red pepper flake though other recipes will vary slightly depending on regional preferences.

A few reminders… blend in batches if necessary so as not to overload your blender. Don’t fill it more than halfway since hot liquids expand when blended. Also, be careful when adding the tomato sauce back into the pan because hot pan + hot sauce = bad news. It will splatter. It will get all over your stove. Don’t “just go for it”… Yes, I’m speaking from experience. Yes, a few drops of hot lava sauce landed on my bare feet. Yes, I’ve learned my lesson. Moving on.

This recipe can be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth and eliminating the goat cheese 🙂

Side note and completely unrelated – look at my puppy snuggling next to me while I edit this blog! Isn’t he adorable?! He’s turning 1 year old in November.

Ok, back to the food…

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Ingredients:

• 4-6 eggs
• 28oz diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken broth*
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped
• 2-3 large handfuls of kale, chopped
• 2 medium russet potatoes, small dice
• Goat cheese, optional but recommended*
• olive oil
• 3 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp red pepper flake
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Select a deep pan, heat olive oil on medium heat and sauté onions until they begin to soften. Add garlic, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp red pepper flake, salt and pepper. Stir for a minute, warming up spices until fragrant. Add broth and tomatoes then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.

In the same pan, heat 1-2 more tablespoons olive oil. Sauté the potatoes with 1 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp paprika for approximately 5 minutes until they begin to brown. Add the tomato sauce to the pan {sauce might splatter if the pan is too hot}, and simmer for 10 minutes until potatoes are nearly tender.

Stir in the chopped kale. Make holes for each individual egg by pushing the potatoes and kale aside to form a little well. Crack the eggs in separate bowls and pour into the individual holes. Cover and keep the sauce on a low simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat, keeping the pan covered for another 5 minutes.

Serve with goat cheese crumbles and crusty bread on the side.

Enjoy! 😀