An easy skillet meal: Shakshuka with feta and Israeli couscous, recipe from Molly On The Range.
Today, we're going to talk about something verycute, very small and very lovely. Are you ready?
Of course you are!
Her name is Molly Yeh (pronounced YAY!), and when I first laid eyes on her new book, I snatched it up.
Molly's book is my top pick for holiday gift giving this year. Her book has recipes that showcase the lovely mix of her Asian and Jewish roots (plus her husband's Scandinavian influence) with a fair dose of her personal food obsessions thrown in (think:tahini, marzipan, and so many eggs!).
It's the type of book that draws you in because of the story telling.She gives you directions on how to 'bahn mi' anything, how to get macaroni and cheese on your table the fastest, and 6 ways to harass a batch of challah dough into something incredible.
I've made so many things from this book: her Mum's matzoh brei, her ex-boyfriend's meatless meatballs, authentichummus (serve it warm and stick your whole face in it), chicken paprikash, and now this fun twist on Shakshuka with feta.
She addsbig pearls of Israeli couscous to this shakshuka with feta so it's more of a substantial meal. And it's exactly the type of thing I've made no less than 3 times in 3 weeks, because it comes together with everything you already have on-hand. And the babe loves it, too! (I'm starting to worry that Camille doesn't have spice receptors in her taste buds...that's how much she loves harissa!)
The sauce is forgiving. Stir it together in 15 minutes with a quick saute, or leave it on the stove for 2+ hours. If you can't locate Israeli couscous (it's the big pearls--see the video at the end for reference), use small pasta like ditalini.
Harissa is a lovely spice paste thatwants to be inyour pantry. I noticed that Trader Joe's started carrying it--hooray! Grab a tube (it keeps for a while), and you'll be squeezing it into everything--scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, steamed rice, your coffee. Wait, don't stir it into your coffee--use Molly's Hawaij spice mix instead (it's like pumpkin spice swamin a bowl of cardamom...and thusbecameapproximately 100 times better).
Shakshuka with feta steps:
If you've never heard of Shakshuka with feta, you might know it by its other name: Eggs in Purgatory. It's a spicy tomato sauce for poaching eggs, and it's usually served with bread. Molly's recipe has a bit more spice and swaps the bread for couscous. Much improved, if you ask me.
Here's a little step-by-step stop motion vignette for ya:
In a small 8" skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion, a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Next, add the garlic, cumin, harissa, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes another pinch of salt, a few turns of black pepper, and stir, Cook for 1 minute, while stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato paste and canned tomatoes (with juice). Stir everything to combine it well, and either simmer it for 15 minutes on medium, or turn the heat to low and let cook for up to 2 hours. Your choice.
When ready to serve, crank the heat to high, stir in the couscous and broth, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until the couscous is done.
Create 3 little wells to add the eggs. Cook for about 8 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. If you like a more well-done egg, baste the eggs with the tomato sauce around it.
Both Shakshuka and Menemen serve as rich, cultural embodiments of their respective cuisines. Shakshuka, with its layered flavors, mirrors the diversity of North African and Israeli culinary heritage. Menemen, by contrast, champions simplicity and freshness, epitomizing Turkish cuisine's essence.
Even though many people today associate shakshuka with Israel, it actually originated in North Africa and the Ottoman Empire: the only reason shakshuka is eaten in Israel is because North African Jewish immigrants brought it there.
The first side you want to serve with your shakshuka is of course the bread, so you can dip it into the sauce. For a very western version, you'll want to make a classic no-knead bread (super easy!) for the occasion.
It is believed to have a Tunisian origin. Shakshuka means "a mixture" or “shaken” in Tunisian dialect. Shakshuka is a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian, and Moroccan cuisines traditionally served up in a cast iron pan with bread to mop up the sauce (most important).
Shakshuka, a common vegetarian dish in the region, is made of eggs, tomatoes, onions, peppers and cumin. It is originally a Turkish dish with meat, but Tunisian Jews who moved to Israel eliminated the meat. Palestinians picked it up because of its similarity toward traditional Arabic dishes.
Whatever the true origins, it was eventually brought to Israel by Jewish immigrants from Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Libya. At a time when they were struggling financially, this hearty, affordable dish that was very easy to make and made a lot of sense to immigrants. Nowadays, you'll find it's just about everywhere!
Turkish menemen is very similar to shakshuka, but there's a lesser-known Turkish eggs recipe that's incredibly delicious too. This, called cilbir, involves poaching eggs, then laying them on a swirl of garlic-infused yoghurt, topping with a nutty chilli butter and fresh dill fronds.
After breaking the eggs into the sauce, gently spoon some of the sauce over just the whites. This helps the whites cook faster so they set before the yolks overcook. Cover and rotate. Covering the skillet allows the eggs to steam-cook, which moves things along.
It's a quick, flavourful, and satisfying meal, especially after a long day. Also, it is perfectly acceptable to eat shakshuka straight out of the pan, using wedges of pita bread as your spoon. Of course, if you prefer a knife and fork, spoon the eggs with their sauce over lightly toasted bread.
A side salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon juice, and oil (non-olive) with salt/ pepper/ sumac might be good to contrast with the shakshuka. Turkish breakfast often has a special sausage on the side.
In Jewish culture, a large batch of tomato stew is made for the Sabbath dinner and the leftovers used the following morning to make a breakfast shakshouka with eggs.
The traditional “shakshuka” is originally from North Africa - - Tunisia the dish is popular in the Middle East, and you are able to find variations of the dish in Palestine, Israel, Egypt and numerous other countries.
The main difference between shakshuka and eggs in purgatory is the spices and herbs. Skakshuka features Middle Eastern spices, such as cumin and sweet paprika. Eggs in purgatory does not include these spices and uses Italian herbs, such as oregano and basil.
Menemen is a popular traditional Turkish dish that includes eggs, tomato, green peppers, and spices such as ground black and red pepper cooked in olive oil. Menemen may be made with onions, but the addition of onions is often debated and is more common when menemen is eaten as a main dish, rather than at breakfast.
Shakshuka is a simple dish made of gently poached eggs in a delicious chunky tomato and bell pepper sauce. Said to have originated in Tunisia, this breakfast recipe is popular in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East. It is so satisfying, you can serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
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Introduction: My name is Ray Christiansen, I am a fair, good, cute, gentle, vast, glamorous, excited person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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