Shashuka
Below is an article about the Maghrebi dish called Shakshuka:
SHASHUKA
While viewing a television series on cable television, I had come across an interesting dish I have never heard of called Shakshuka. I do not know who had created this dish, but I do know it had originated in the western part of the Arab world called the Maghreb. At the time of its creation, this region was also known Ottoman North Africa.
Shashuka is a dish that consists of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion that is spiced with garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. According to American cookbook author, Joan Nathan, Shashuka had originated during mid-16th century, after Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés had introduced tomatoes to the Maghreb region as part of the Columbian exchange, the widespread transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between and within the New World in the Western hemisphere and the Old World throughout Europe, the Arab world and Asia during the late 15th and following centuries.
The word shakshuka (Arabic: شكشوكة) is a Maghrebi Arabic term for "a mixture". The word is allegedly believed to come from the Berber languages, although most sources agree on the term's Arabic origin. In Morocco, the word is referred to as bīḍ w-maṭiša (بيض ومطيشة "egg and tomato"). The term "shakshuka" may have derived from "shak", another Arabic word meaning "to combine things together", as the dish combines tomatoes, chilies, spices and eggs.
Although Shashuka is prepared with eggs, there have been variations of spices and sweetness in the sauce. Some cooks add preserved lemon, salty sheep milk cheeses, olives, harissa or a spicy sausage such as chorizo or merguez. Because the dish is prepared with eggs, it has spread to other countries throughout North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Shashuka is served as a side dish in Algeria. Tunisian cooks tend to add potatoes, broad beans, artichoke hearts or courgettis to the dish. The latter has appeared on breakfast menus in various English-speaking countries. The Israel Defense Force added loof, a Kosher version of Spam to the dish to army rations in the 1950s. There are also versions of Shashuka in other countries like Italy and the Andalusian region of Spain. The presence of Shashuka in non-Maghreb or Arab countries has been characterized as culture appropriation.
Below is a recipe for Shashuka from TheMediterraneanDish website:
"Shashuka"
Ingredients
*Extra virgin olive oil
*Vegetables:
- 1 large chopped onion
- 1 to 2 green bell peppers
- 2 minced garlic cloves
These three ingredients (plus spices) creates a sofrito to start the chunky sauce.
*Spices:
- coriander
- cumin
- paprika
A trio of warm North African flavors. If you like spicy shakshuka (some call it eggs in purgatory), add a pinch
of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
*Tomatoes: In this recipe, I use 6 fresh medium-sized tomatoes and about ½ cup of tomato sauce, this combination gives me the texture and flavor I'm looking for. It helps if your fresh tomatoes are soft and almost overripe. If tomatoes are not in season, you can replace them with 1 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes or 6 cups canned chopped tomatoes with their juices. If you use the canned tomato alternative, you can omit the tomato sauce.
*Eggs: 6 large raw eggs
*Garnish: This is totally optional, but for me a handful of fresh chopped parsley and mint just before serving adds freshness and a pop of color. And if you love your shakshuka with feta, then add a sprinkle of creamy feta cheese just before serving.
Preparation
*Make the Shakshuka tomato sauce. Start by sauteing chopped onions, bell peppers, and garlic with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil in a large, heavy skillet or pan (with a lid). Season with kosher salt and coriander, paprika, cumin, and crushed pepper flakes. Cook for at least 5 minutes, stirring, until the veggies are tender, then add fresh diced tomatoes (I used 6 vine ripe tomatoes) and ½ cup of tomato sauce. (Or, if you don't have fresh tomatoes, you can use canned a large 28-ounce of canned whole tomatoes or 6 cups of canned diced tomatoes). Bring the tomatoes to a boil, then cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes, then uncover and cook a few more minutes until your sauce has thickened.
*Add the eggs and cook. When the sauce is ready, use the back of a spoon and make some holes in the sauce. Crack your eggs and nestle each egg in one of the holes you created. Cover the skillet and allow the eggs to simmer in the sauce over medium-low heat until the egg whites have settled (as I said earlier, the eggs are supposed to be soft and somewhat runny. If you like your eggs hard, you can let them cook a bit longer).
*Serve immediately! Once the eggs are ready, garnish with parsley and serve immediately!