Make a Shakshuka in a Skillet

/

Photo by Jennifer Chase

Start the day with a breakfast that can not only fuel your body, but your mind too

Words and photos by Jennifer Chase, Edible DC

With three young children, you can imagine our house is pretty harried in the morning. It’s usually grab and go. But when we all have time, I love to get a good protein packed breakfast in front of the family to help fuel us through the day. Flavorful egg dishes, like this Skillet Shakshuka, go over very well. I asked Elise Museles, a DC-based food psychologist, recipe developer and author if she would share this recipe with me and our Edible DC readers. It is from her new book, Food Story: Rewrite the Way You Eat, Think, and Live . All of the recipes are organized by mood. This is from the “Focused” section:

Shakshuka is a fragrant pepper- and tomato-based Middle Eastern egg dish. The eggs are baked into the warm sauce, then topped with fresh herbs, green onions, and crumbled feta cheese. Choline, a key nutrient found in egg yolks, helps support concentration and mental focus. The garlic and anti- inflammatory spices enliven the sauce and can help reduce signs of cognitive decline. You can make the sauce up to two days in advance—just warm it back up before you add the eggs. 

Note: For a vegan version, omit the eggs, add seared cubes of tofu and use vegan cheese. 

INGREDIENTS 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄4 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups canned whole tomatoes, with juices
1 cup baby spinach
4 to 6 large eggs
1⁄4 cup crumbled feta or vegan cheese
1 thinly sliced green onion, both white and green parts
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf Italian parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and starting to brown, about 7 minutes.

  2. Stir in the garlic, paprika, oregano, cumin, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the canned tomatoes with their juices, breaking them up with your hands as you add them. Stir to combine.

  3. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then stir in the spinach. Continue to simmer until the spinach is wilted and the sauce is fragrant, about 5 minutes. (If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water.)

  4. Use the back of a big spoon to create 4 to 6 wells in the tomato mixture. Crack an egg into each well and season with a little salt and pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the egg whites are barely cooked and the yolks are still runny, about 12 minutes. (The eggs will continue to cook while you are garnishing.)

  5. Sprinkle with the feta cheese, green onions, and cilantro or Italian parsley. Serve immediately.


Recipe excerpt from the book Food Story: Rewrite the Way You Eat, Think, and Live by Elise Museles © 2021 Elise Museles, reprinted with permission from the author and the publisher, Sounds True, Inc.

Follow Elise on Instagram @elisemuseles