Shakshuka!

Since starting my blog I've been reading lots of other blogs, too.  One of my favs for recipes is Smitten Kitchen.  Recently the bloggiste posted a recipe for a dish called "shakshuka". 

Since I happen to have a few extra eggs in the house, I decided to whip it up.

You can find the original recipe in the above link. 

Start buy dicing up 1/2 onion, some peppers, and 5 cloves of garlic.  I used 2 anaheim, 1 fresno, and 1 jalapeno because that's what my grocery store had.   Yes, I'm aware that the peppers aren't local but because I can't grow peppers in my garden - I've tried several times - I'm OK buying them as long as they're from the USA. 

The puny onion is the last one from my 2009 summer crop.  I learned the other day that they're probably stunted because I tried to grow them at the foot of the corn.  Apparently corn plants put a smackdown on onions' growth.  Hrm.

Aren't they pretty? 

Saute all this in some oil over medium heat.  This was my biggest departure from SK's recipe.  She used 1/4 cup olive oil.  I only used about a tablespoon.  If you notice in her pics, though, she's using a regular pan whereas mine is non-stick.  Throw the garlic in last.

Be sure to save the seeds & membranes from the peppers for the chickens. 

Add in the paprika & cumin.  I can't remember the last time I used this much paprika.  Nice measuring job, eh?

Part of the reason I made this recipe was due to the fact that I had an opened jar of tomatoes in the fridge from when I made some Spanish rice the other day. 

Squish up the tomatoes and throw them into to pan with all the other stuff.  Let it cook down, lid on, for about 15 minutes.  It will thicken up a bit.

Next up, grab some eggs.  Did I mention that I happen to have a few?

They're so cute.  I love being able to name who laid which egg.

Croquette, Miss Piggy, Animal, Nugget, Dozer

Crack the eggs into the mix and plunk on a lid.  Cook the eggs until they reach the consistency you like.  Next time I'll cook up an even number of eggs.  This reheated beautifully the next day at work.

(My husband just looked over and my screen and said, "that really was good".  This from a man who doesn't like onions or peppers.  Go fig.)

Once the eggs are how you like them - mine were soft poached - top with feta cheese & parsley, then put the lid back on for another minute or so to warm up the cheese.

I found some pita bread at Safeway that was sourced from Federal Way instead of California.

Everyone's a critic.

Dinner is served.

Thanks for dinner, girls.

Curry, Croquette, Gwen, Nugget