shaksuka!

This morning, we had our second homemade batch of this breakfast treat.  It was then I knew I had to spread the news to the mountaintops.  Yeah, I know I only have my WordPres blog but, hey, Jesus only had 12!  Shaksuka is a spicy underside to your eggs that had its origins in Tunisia but has become very popular in Israel.  Pilgrims from the Holy Land bringing home a desire for this dish probably account for its popping up on menus here and there.  Babo Detroit was one of those places (1).  An eclectic little café a half block down Woodward from the DIA, it was where we stopped for breakfast before taking on the van Gogh exhibit at the DIA one Friday morning (2).  Seeing this shaksuka on the menu – “spicy moroccan tomato sauce, sautéed peppers & onion, poached eggs, fresh jalapeño, cilantro, french baguette” – how could you pass that up?  It was every bit as good as advertised.  Knowing my next several hours would be occupied contemplating the works of a very troubled Dutchman, I parked my food curiosity for the next day.  But then Dr. Google was very accommodating.  While the Israelis owned shaksuka, it came from Tunisia or Yemen, or maybe even the Ottoman empire (3).  Recipes were abundant, but I like the one I crafted together from several sources (see below).  Hard to imagine a healthier sauce, then plop your poached eggs into it.  Mmmm.

Here’s a peek at what the stuff looks like, some leftovers from breakfast in a bowl. But not for breakfast anymore is this.  You could make a nice pasta dish (which we have) or spoon it over most everything.

As for breakfast, it helps if you can poach an egg old style.  Set those passive “egg poachers” you might have aside and pick up a whisk.  You can salvage those egg whites going through a strainer by collecting them in a dish sprayed with some non-stick (I have a garlic spray I prefer) then nuking the collection for a minute.  More protein!  But here are those simple instructions about how to poach an egg.

You’d think such a feast would call for sides.  Babo served some sliced baguette which was nice.  But if your grocery store is up on this stuff, snatch ‘em up!  Stonefire mini NAAN ORIGINAL!  Pop one in the toaster, and out it comes, nice and puffed up as any naan you might get from your Indian restaurant, minus the slathered butter.  Perfect for pushing around the bits of goodness in your bowl.

I didn’t mean to tease you but here’s that recipe for shaksuka.

Don’t know if it’s a thing over there, but Google translate says “bon apétit” in Hebrew is בתיאבו.

References

1. Babo Detroit.  https://www.babodetroit.com/

2.      Detroit Institute of Arts.  Van Gogh in America.  https://dia.org/events/exhibitions/van-gogh-america

3. Kantor L.  A Brief History of Israel’s Famous Dish, Shakshuka.  Culture Trip 12/16/17.  https://theculturetrip.com/middle-east/israel/articles/a-brief-history-of-israels-famous-dish-shakshuka/