Deep Winter Shakshouka from Molly Friedman

In the dead of winter, when everything is gray and sad I look for anyway to bring brightness in. I try to eat as seasonally as possible but February and March really challenge my stamina.

Luckily, I’m surrounded by some fantastic friends who are also some of the most skilled farmers I know. They preserve jars of their tomatoes during peak season that we’re able to enjoy all winter long. Canned/pickled/preserved foods really come in handy during those long winter months.

Shakshouka is one of those dishes you can really make your own. Change it with the seasons, add in more spice, less spice, different herbs, whatever. I’m all about the toppings and this dish lends itself to all the toppings.

I’m not one for measuring so here is my best guess.   

Ingredients

View fullsize

• 1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand
• 1 large yellow onion sliced
• 1 jalapeño or Serrano
• 1 small butternut squash or other winter squash Harissa, I love the Hlthpunk brand
• Cumin
• 4-6 large eggs
• Olive oil 

Toppings

• Cilantro leaves
• Sliced red onion
• Avocado
• Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
• Thinly sliced jalapeño if you have any leftover

Recipe

• Peel and cube your winter squash. About 1/2in pieces, set aside. De-seed and slice your jalapeño. I like to have slices, you can chop in finely if you don’t want to bite into it.
• Taste your jalapeño! They vary in heat.
• In a wide, high walled pan add in a few glugs of olive oil and warm gently.
• Add in your sliced yellow onions with a pinch of salt until slightly frizzled and soft.
• Add in your squash and jalapeño with another bigger pinch of salt, we season as we go!
• Let those all soften and come together.
• Add in 1 tsp of cumin powder, about 2-3 tablespoons of harissa paste depending on the flavor and intensity. Cook for a minute or two to warm the spices.
• Add in your canned tomatoes, salt lightly again!
• Let simmer and cook until the squash is tender but not mushy. You can also pre cook the squash in the oven at 400º and then add it in to speed up the process.
• Carve out the wells for your eggs with a spoon. Crack them in one at a time and season each egg with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Cover with a lid or plate or sheet tray to cook the eggs. If you notice that the yolk is cooking faster than the white I like to baste the whites with some of the tomato. It’s a dance to get the egg to cook perfectly.
• Serve in a bowl with some crusty bread with whatever toppings you desire!