CHAKCHOUKA RECIPES

Steps:

• Cut the tomatoes into large pieces. Deseed and dice all the peppers.
• Heat olive oil in a medium size pot. The flavor belongs in the recipe, so use a good amount of it. Add the onion and garlic, and before it is brown, add the cumin. When the cumin is blended, add the tomatoes and peppers, the tomato concentrate, and the harissa. Add salt. Blend the ingredients with a long spoon. Add 1 - 3 bay leaves, and the thyme.
• As soon as the vegetables are cooked, and the consistency is a bit thickened, add the eggs. The eggs will be poached in the pot. Space the eggs to give them room. Put the lid of the pot on. Wait for the white to set, as much as 15 minutes, depending on how high your heat is. The yolk should be runny.
• When you serve this, dish up an amount of the vegetable part into a wide soup dish, then carefully center an egg into this. Repeat for four people. Have french bread cut and ready to dip into the chakchouka.
• Note: the amounts of tomato concentrate and harissa, which is quite hot, can be adjusted to personal taste. You could lessen the garlic amount if you like.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Stir in the paprika and cook slighly to color the oil, about 10 to 15 seconds. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent and wilted but not browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to reduce down a little bit. Add the peppers, water and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add more water as needed to keep it from drying out.
• Using a spoon, form four small indentations in the simmering peppers to hold the eggs. One by one, crack the eggs into a small bowl and slip each from the bowl into an indentation. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes or so until eggs are cooked through to your liking.
• Serve with crusty bread, pita or rice.
• Variations:.
• •Add 1 teaspoon of cuminseed to the hot oil for about 15 seconds before you add the paprika. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of ground coriander along with the onions.
• •For a little spice, sauté 1 tablespoon of harissa paste or a minced chile pepper with the onions.
• •Sometimes a spicy lamb sausage called merguez is added to the simmering peppers along with the eggs.
• •Add 1 small, diced eggplant along with the peppers.
• •Add 1 potato, cut in a small dice, along with the peppers.
• •Sprinkle the top of the cooked dish with chopped parsley or cilantro.
• •Add a few olives and capers and eliminate the eggs. Chill and serve garnished with hard-boiled eggs or tuna.