Perfectly Spiced Chakchouka

Chakchouka, Arabic slang for “a mixture”, this dish is packed with peppers, tomatoes and caramelized onions. Similar to a ragout or vegetable stew, chakchouka is spiced with paprika and cumin, then just before baking you throw in a few eggs, allowing them to poach in the tomato sauce. Try serving this at your next brunch, with some fresh bread. You may find you’ll need to make a double batch.

Ingredients

4 large Eggs
1 large Red pepper, cut into strips
1 large Green pepper, cut into strips
1 medium Yellow onion, cut into rings
1 Garlic clove, crushed
1 can Crushed Tomatoes
1 tsp Cumin, ground
1 tsp Paprika
60g / ⅓ cup Crystal Margarine
¼ cup Parsley, chopped
½ Serrano chilli, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)
Salt and Pepper for seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).
2. In a large, nonstick skillet, melt the Crystal margarine over medium high heat.
3. Once hot, add the onions, peppers and crushed garlic. Cook while stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to go translucent and tender.



4. Once the onions start to tenderize, sprinkle in the cumin and paprika, and stir to coat.



5. Once the onions begin to caramelize, add in the can of diced tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes begin to simmer.



6. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish, spreading the vegetables out evenly. Make 4 little, evenly placed wells in the mixture, the eggs will be place here, and this will keep them contained.
7. Crack open the eggs one at a time, into the wells. Sprinkle the top of each egg with a little salt.



8. Cover the dish with a lid, or aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes until the egg whites are fully cooked, and the yolks are at a desired level of doneness.
9. Remove from the oven and top the chakchouka with the chopped parsley and sliced Serrano peppers (optional), then serve while hot.

Chefs Notes

• The next time it’s hot out, try going ahead and making this dish on the BBQ. Toss the vegetables in melted margarine, and grill them over medium heat. Then throw the rest of the ingredients into a cast iron, place directly on the grill and close the lid, to trap in some of the great flavour of the grill. Keep in mind the eggs will cook faster this way.
• If you’ve got access to really good tomatoes, try dicing up about 8 to 10 them and cook them with the vegetables. Then before adding in the eggs, pour in a ½ of water or vegetable stock.