Black Bean Shakshuka

I’ve been swapping dinner and breakfast.

Just yesterday for breakfast I had a hot dog with mustard and potato salad. For dinner – scrambled eggs and a tortilla.

My morning are slower this week. My motivation to go for that jog has faded into the deep (early quarantine) past as has my desire to even heat up breakfast. What I didn’t mention about yesterday’s dinner-breakfast was that it was a cold hotdog with potato salad…. and my heart was pleased. By the time dinner comes around, I have a little more energy to stand and stir so eggs are a constant comfort from minimal effort. 

Listen… every week is different and this is just where we’re (I’m) at right now.

Some of us are heading back to work, heading back to the gym, going out to restaurants. I’m in here trying to sort my breakfast and dinner… and honestly, I’m laughing at myself about it. We’re all on our own journey and thank goodness things always change and I’ll be out of mini energy dip probably hopefully likely soon. 

Is Mercury in retrograde? Is my actual brain in retrograde? 

In the meantime, I made a recipe that is both breakfast and dinner. It’s both meals for both times of day. It’s everything to everyone (that’s an exaggeration) and if you have a skillet you have what you need.  

Shakshuka is a Mediterranean dish defined by poaching eggs in a simmering spiced tomato sauce.  There’s onion and garlic and loads of earthy, bold spices like cumin, paprika and nutmeg.  I’m riffing on tradition by adding black beans, yellow peppers and all the the toppings I might put on a tostada.  Just a little play on this super classic dish.  

Here’s what you’ll need for this Black Bean Shakshuka: 

•  onion, garlic, and yellow peppers sliced and diced to bits and cooked in olive oil  

•  chili powder, cumin, coriander, and smoky paprika are the spices I pulled from the pantry. Feel free to use all or just a few of these and anything else you might like. I think oregano would also be nice! 

•  a big can of diced tomatoes and a small can of cooked black beans

• eggs – 4 or 6 depending on how many you want to feed

•  top this dish with as much or as little as you’d like. Good options include: tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, pickled jalapeno, salsa, radishes, and cilantro.

This dish comes together all inside a 10-inch skillet. 

Stay away from cast iron here – cast iron and tomato don’t mix well together. 

Saute diced onions, minced garlic, and sliced peppers in olive oil over medium heat until all is wilted and browned. 

Add the spices and seasoning and stir over heat to release the oils of the dried spices. It’ll smell fantastic! 

In with the canned tomatoes and black beams.  

Add the juice from both cans – we want it all. 

Simmer until the flavors are combined and the mixture begins to thicken. 

At this point I taste the tomato stew and add salt and pepper as necessary. 

Use the back of a spoon to create a little hole / home for each of the eggs. Crack the eggs into the little well.  Get everyone in there nice and cozy. 

Reduce the temperature, cover the skillet and allow to steam and simmer until the eggs are cooked to your desired doneness.  

Can you believe that’s it!? 

Top with all sorts of everything.  Radish slices, cilantro leaves, pickled jalapeno bites, crunchy tortilla strips, creamy avocados – just go for it! 

Spoon into generous bowls and enjoy your breakfast-dinner / dinner-breakfast / best meal of the day. 

My love to you today! 

xo 

Photos with my friend Jon Melendez.

 

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