Community & Feast with Java - Shakshuka Recipe

Shakshuka with wild Garlic for Lens Eleven 

Shakshuka is traditionally a breakfast dish, most popular in North Africa and the Middle East but it’s so deeply satisfying and warming that I find it perfect for every meal and every season.

As with every dish we make, I truly believe it’s about exploring how you like to eat it best: tweaking the quantities, adding ingredients, experimenting a little, each time you make it. Our general approach is to highlight the smokiness, sweetness and heat of the dish, but you do you! 

Another reason I love shakshuka is because it’s a great one-pan dish to serve to a table of hungry/hungover friends and loved ones. Paired with a fresh loaf of sourdough, extra olive oil to drizzle, extra fresh chili for heat and salt to dip your bread in, it is simple yet incredibly effective at bringin everyone together. 

I love listening to the hum of conversation and laughter as guests gather around the table, pass plates and cutlery around, pour each other water and wine. The ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’as the steaming dish is placed on the table and the serving spoon scoops out the first egg poached in sweet tomato sauce. The clatter of cutlery against enamel plates, the soft rip of bread being torn, the muffled ‘mmmmms, this is delicious’, the silent nods of appreciation. We sit in communion, filling our mouths, bellies and hearts. 

Feeds: Six People 

Ingredients: 

1 red onion, chopped into small pieces
3 bulbs of garlic, finely chopped
2 medium size sweet red pepper
2 tins of plum tomatoes
A fresh chilli, finely chopped
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
6 eggs
Glug of olive oil
A handful of Wild Garlic, roughly chopped 

Method: Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large shallow pan and once hot, add the red onion. Cook the onion on a low to medium heat, stirring regularly so it doesn’t stick. Once sweet and translucent, add the garlic and stir to avoid burning. After a minute or so, add in the pepper and either add in a tiny bit more olive oil or a dash of water. Once the peppers are slightly soft but not cooked through add the smoked paprika, allow to cook for twenty seconds or until aromatic and then add the plum tomatoes. With a wooden spoon, break the tomatoes down a bit, not so much that they become liquid, you still want them to hold some of their shape. Once they are gently simmering, create small pockets of space in the tomato juice by using the back of a spoon, and add the eggs one by one. 

Keep on a low heat, and cover with a lid or a piece of foil. The aim is for the eggs to poach in the tomato sauce. Once you can see the eggs are cooked but still soft inside, remove from the heat, scatter the wild garlic over the top, plus the fresh chili if so desired, then season with salt and pepper. 

Serve with bread and enjoy!