Chakchouka (Eggs poached in a capsicum ragout)

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This is an Algerian dish which may also be found in other North African countries.

Chirpy salad vegetables in a tomato sauce together with eggs poached in the juices.

This recipe contains the following types of ingredient: eggs; plants and fungi.

Ingredients

25 ml
sunflower oil
10 ml
paprika
1 medium
white onion
3
cloves garlic
3
medium tomatoes
3
capsicum
200 ml
water
salt and FAIRTRADE ground black pepper
good splash
FAIRTRADE lemon juice
1 per diner
eggs

Method

Preparation

Skin the onions and chop small.

Skin and crush the garlic.

De-seed and de-pith the capsicum.

Chop the tomatoes.

Cooking

Heat the oil in a cast iron pan and add the paprika. heat through until the oil is sizzling (20 seconds).

Add the onions and garlic and stir fry until the onions are translucent, but not brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and heat through.

Add the chopped capsicum peppers, water and a little salt.

Heat through and simmer for 10 minutes.

Crack each egg in turn into a cup.

Make an indentation with the back of a ladle for each egg, and slide the egg out of the cup into the hollow.

Cover, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes or more until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

To serve

Serve as a breakfast dish with quarters of toast.

Variations

1) Add carrots and potatoes with the onions if you need a substantial dish.

2) Add other spices (e.g. chile spice, cumin, or coriander with the paprika.

3) Add slices of spicy sausage with the peppers.

4) Add tomato puree to thicken the juices.

5) Omit the eggs and thicken with tomato puree, add courgettes and aubergines and serve as ratatoullie.

6) Omit the eggs and add capers and olives.

7) Omit the poached eggs, cook, chill, and garnish with sliced hard boiled egg as a summer buffet dish.