It’s Cinco de Mayo and we’re celebrating with a Mexican-inspired Shakshuka. Since no one can decide if it originated in Northern African or the Middle East, we decided to throw another variation into it.
If you’re new to Shakshukas, welcome. It’s basically a dish that means "all mixed up", consisting of eggs poached in a thick tomato sauce, sprinkled with herbs and served in all its runny yolk glory.
A couple of things to note: this recipe only calls for 4 eggs, instead of the usual 6 many shakshuka recipes ask of you. I have a real beef with this. I want to know who's pan is large enough for 6 eggs to fit into?! I can barely squeeze 4 in!
Secondly, I was once told that canned diced tomatoes are just the leftover parts of tomatoes, ie. the butt end of the fruit (yes, tomatoes are technically fruits!). Ever since then, I’ve always opted for canned whole tomatoes instead. I like to get down and dirty and break them up with my hands, but feel free to act a bit more civilized than myself and use the back of a wooden spoon.
Enjoy this saucy, sexy recipe with tortillas chips and consider it an elevated dip for tortilla chips!
Watch the video here and follow the instructions below
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lbs extra lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
1 ½ tsp cumin and paprika each
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can (798 ml) tomatoes, whole or diced
1 can (298 ml) black beans, rinsed
4 eggs
¼ cup feta cheese
Garnishes: Fresh cilantro, dollops of guacamole, lime juice
Recipe
- Heat olive oil in a large but shallow pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the beef and season with salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, break up the meat as it browns. Stir in the cumin and paprika and mix into the beef.
- Continue cooking the meat until it’s about 80% browned, then add the pepper. Meanwhile, open the can of tomatoes and begin adding the tomatoes one by one, breaking them apart with your hands. Bring the mixture to a light simmer, then add the beans. Stir everything together. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer for about 20 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken considerably.
- Create small wells in the sauce for the eggs to settle in. Crack an egg into each well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the pot with a lid and let the eggs cook for 6-8 minutes, until whites have set but the yolks are still runny.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle the shakshuka with crumbled feta and dollops of guacamole. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve with tortilla chips or fresh sourdough.
