Shakshuka with White Beans and Sesame Roasted Kale
This recipe is inspired by Anna’s desire to create a delicious meal for four people for under $40. This one clocks in at $36.26 and you will have leftover spices and still a half dozen of Anna’s eggs in the fridge for another meal! This price assumes you already have some items in your pantry: olive oil, sesame oil, and salt and pepper. But I also include a good loaf of artisanal sourdough bread.
Ingredients
For the Shakshuka
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 red Fresno chili (or sweet red or green pepper if you prefer a less spicy dish)
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 (28-ounce) can* whole plum tomatoes with their juices, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
- 1½ cups cooked white beans (I prefer cannellini, but any white bean will work)
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 6 large eggs
For the Roasted Kale
- 1 bunch curly green kale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds
Instructions
To prepare the Shakshuka sauce:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onion and red chili (or sweet pepper). Cook gently until very soft, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, coriander seed, and paprika, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the white beans. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the freshly grated lemon zest.
To roast the kale:
- Preheat oven to 375°. Wash and spin dry the kale, then dress thoroughly with the olive oil and sesame oil, massaging it into all the folds of the kale. Season with salt and sesame seeds. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake 10 minutes or until kale begins to get crispy around the edges. Leave the oven on to bake the shakshuka.
To bake the Shakshuka:
- Transfer the sauce to a 10-inch ovenproof skillet. Use the back of a large spoon to create a little divot for each egg, then gently crack eggs into it. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until eggs are just set, 12 to 14 minutes. Cook a few minutes longer if you like the eggs firmer. Serve with the sesame roasted kale (you will have extra, so save it for snacking!) and thick slabs of sourdough bread.
- *This recipe also works well with fresh plum tomatoes, but make sure to retain and include their juices.
Notes
PHILIPPE JEANJEAN’S SUGGESTED WINE PAIRING
With cumin and garlic and eggs, oh my! Such wonderful complex flavors call for a high-acidity wine. My first suggestion would be a dry sparkling wine like Champagne, Crémant from France, or dry Cava from Spain. The acidity and effervescence will pleasantly balance the rich texture of this egg and tomato dish. My other choice would be a dry and citrusy white like Picpoul de Pinet, Pinot Grigio from Northern Italy, or Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.