Many years ago, one of my daughter's introduced me to shakshuka.  She kept raving about her roommate's shakshuka and wanted me to try it at a restaurant. Since then, I've had many occasions to sample shakshuka and when done right, it's this delicious stewed tomato sauce with chunks of tomatoes that envelope poached eggs.  For me, the taste of the tomato sauce is key.  It shouldn't be too acidic and it shouldn't be too watery.  So, during the height of tomato season when your gardens are bursting with so many tomatoes, try this amazing shakshuka dish with my Sammy Wong's all purpose seasoning, and you may be making this several times a week.  The poached eggs should also be perfectly cooked and for me, that means runny yolks!  I also like dunking chunks of fresh sourdough that soaks up all the tomato juice just like a panzanella salad, except this dish is made using freshly baked sourdough and the sauce is deliciously warm and hearty.  

Tips for making Shakshuka

Tomatoes

The most important ingredient in the shakshuka are the tomatoes.  Fresh, ripe, flavorful tomatoes are the key.  However, if you're in a pinch, use canned, whole San Marzano tomatoes.  The tomatoes should not be too acidic.  Also, try to use plum tomatoes as they have less seeds and are less juicy, resulting in a thicker sauce.  However, if you don't have fresh plum tomatoes, you can try to remove some of the seeds from the regular tomatoes and simmer it without the lid, to evaporate some of the liquid.

If you have to use canned tomatoes, I recommend these tomatoes.

Other vegetables

In addition to the tomatoes, diced onion and red bell pepper provide sweetness to the sauce.  Saute the diced onion until caramelized.  This happens when the diced onion turns translucent and slightly brown when the sugars are extracted and start to caramelize.

Flavorings

In addition to the fresh chopped garlic, basil and parsley, Sammy Wong's All purpose seasoning plus extra cumin is used for this delicious sauce.  The all purpose seasoning has all the necessary herbs and spices to make this a rich blend of tastes.

Eggs

I poach the eggs directly into the shakshuka by making some indentations into the sauce where I'm going to crack the eggs. Simmer the sauce with the lid on to cook the eggs.  For soft, runny eggs barely simmer for 3-5 minutes.  For medium poached eggs, simmer for 5-7 minutes.  For hard poached eggs, simmer for 7 and a half minutes.

Enjoying the sauce

There is no better way to enjoy this hearty, tasty tomato sauce than with some fresh slices or chunks of sourdough bread.  However, you can grill some slices of bread with some olive oil, sprinkled with some coarse sea salt.  If gluten is not in your diet, substitute it for vegetables that will hold the sauce like cucumbers, thick slices of bell peppers, brocolli etc.  Don't let the sauce go to waste!  If you make soo much sauce, save it for pasta!

Saving the sauce

This sauce saves well in the freezer.  So, if you have a bumper crop of tomatoes and need to "process" it, make this sauce and freeze it in portions in either freezer bags which take less space or containers.  You'll be so glad you did when your tomato crop is gone!

Enjoy and bon appetit!