Baked eggs in tomato sauce, genrally known as “shakshuka,” originates in Tunisia, not the southern Gulf Island of Galiano. However, while it doesn’t have historial ties to British Columbia’s coast, it does have important emotional significance for us. It’s a dish we made while staying at a friend’s cabin — the cabin of our dreams — on Galiano Island as we celebrated a big new job Lindsay had just been hired for. Our pal Heather joined us, and for a weekend we hiked, sunned, drank wine, and ate; we were the three happiest fools you’ve ever met. This is our version of shakshuka: a hearty, colourful dish that’s become a favourite brunch staple. Be sure to serve it with plenty of fresh bread to sop up the sauce.
Ingredients
- Good quality cured chorizo, 1 link (about 150 g), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- Olive oil 1tsp
- Red Onion 1 medium, 3/4 finely dices, 1/4 thinly sliced
- Red Bell Pepper 1 small, diced
- Garlic 3 cloves, thinly sliced
- Ground Cumin 1/2 tsp
- Whole Tomatoes 1 x 796 ml can, with juice
- Salt 3/4 tsp
- Eggs 6-8
- Avocado 1
- Crumbled Feta 1/4 cup
- Fresh Cilantro chopped, 1/4 cup
- Sour Dough or other fresh bread (for serving) 1 loaf, sliced and toasted
Cook It
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large ovenproof skillet (preferably well-seasoned cast iron), saute the chorizo over medium heat, stirring frequently. After about 8 minutes, once the chorizo looks crispy, remove it with a slotted spoon, keeping as much oil as possible in the pan. Add the olive oil (and add more if the chorizo didn’t release much fat). Add the diced red onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute about 10 minutes, or until the onions and pepper have softened. Stir in the cumin, then add the tomatoes and salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chorizo. Let simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and season further if desired.
- With the pan still over medium heat, use a spoon to make 6 (or 8) evenly spaced shallow divots in the sauce, and carefully crack an egg into each divot. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes. While the eggs are baking, peel, pit and dice the avocado, then set aside. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the feta evenly over the surface, then return to the oven for about 3-5 more minutes (a non-cast-iron skillet will take longer). Remove from the oven as the egg whites are just set but the yolks are still runny — you’ll want to keep a close eye on it toward the end. Top with sliced red onion, chopped avocado, and cilantro. Big slices of toasted sourdough, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, are the perfect accompaniment.
