Shakshouka

Continuing the breakfast theme, here is a great recipe from Sunset  for shakshouka, a Middle-eastern egg dish with bread and a tomato and chili paste. I heard so many raving reviews from Lyn about savory breakfasts in the region so I was eager to try it out!

• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons hot or sweet Spanish paprika
• About 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 large green poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 to 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, sliced in half
• 4 large eggs
• Salt & pepper

1. If you have a mortar & pestle used them to crush together the coriander, cumin, paprika, and 1/2 tsp. salt. If not, put in a ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin or a can. Add garlic and pound into a paste.

2. In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook chile in 1 tbsp. oil, stirring often, until brown, 10 -12 minutes. Add the spice mixture and tomato paste to the pan, stir together and cook for about a minute. Add in 3/4 water (or more if necessary), then tomatoes. Cook, turning tomatoes occasionally, until softened, up to 20 minutes; add more water if  the mixture starts to get dry.

3. With a wooden spoon or spatula, make four depressions in tomato mixture and crack an egg into each. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until eggs are set but yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread so that you can have every last bit of the chili-tomato paste.