Egg Surplus

This weekend, whilst visiting my friend Melanie's Bowen Island Pizza Company, I was gifted a dozen farm fresh eggs from her mother, Linda.  I nestled the precious cargo snug on the back of my bike and road home only to find a dozen eggs waiting for me in the fridge that Colin had picked up.  So for the past several days its been an egg extravaganza in our home.  Omelettes for breakfast and this evening we ate a spicy shakshuka from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamini's, Jerusalem.

Growing up, when my dad came home for lunch or if it was his turn to cook and he was lacking inspiration he would cook curry eggs.  He would fry an onion with garlic and add a tomato with some curry powder and cook the living daylights out of it.  In the middle of his tomato and onion mess he would fry and egg with a slice of cheese on it and Voila! Dinner!  I think this is why I was drawn to Jerusalem's shakshuka recipe.  The picture brought me back to my dad simple yet tasty concoction.  Colin and I both really enjoy the dish, it has heat from the harissa and the bright runny yolks are a perfect contrast.  I love the color contrast of the yolks against the deep red sauce.

Shakshuka

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp harissa
2 tsp tomato paste
2 large red bell peppers diced
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tsp cumin
5 large tomatoes
4 large free range eggs
4 egg free range yolks
1/2 cup thick yoghurt
salt

Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the harissa, tomato paste, bell peppers, garlic, cumin and 3/4 tsp salt. Cook approximately 8 minutes so that the peppers are softened.

Add tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook approximately 10 minutes until you have a thick sauce.

Make 8 wells in the sauce.  Break each egg into a well and do the same with the yolks.  Gently stir some of the egg whites into the sauce being careful not to break the yolks.  Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the eggs whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny.

Remove from heat and allow to sit several minutes before serving.

We enjoy ours on buttered toast which soaks up all the flavours.