Shakshouka (Egg in Tomato Sauce)

Quick din-din for one: Shakshouka. Wikipedia says it’s Tunesian. Thinking about it now, though, maybe it’s more Tex-Mex? It’s almost like a low-carb Huevos Rancheros. I don’t know; I was hungry and threw together whatever was in the fridge. And this delicious, little dish was the result.

Enjoy!

Shakshouka – Tex Mex Style (Eggs in Tomato Sauce)

Recipe inspired by The Three Cheeses

printable recipe

Serves 1.

INGREDIENTS

small splash olive oil

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

1/4 cup red onion, roughly chopped

1 leaf mustard greens

1/2 cup diced stewed tomatoes

1 egg

1/4 cup canned beans (I used pinto)

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground cumin

pinch of red chile flakes

salt and pepper to taste

grated cheese to top, optional (I used Jarlsberg, but any kind would work)

plain yogurt to top, optional

METHOD

1. In a pre-heated (medium-high) small pan or saucepan, sauté onion, garlic and mustard greens in olive oil until slightly golden. Then add in tomatoes, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir and allow to simmer over low heat until liquid reduce somewhat, ca. 5 minutes.
2. Stir in beans and crack an egg over the top. Cover and reduce heat further to lowest setting. Cook ca. 5 minutes. At about the half way point, sprinkle optional cheese over the top. Then cover, turn off the heat and allow to finish cooking and the cheese has completely melted. Be careful not to overcook the egg–the yolk should be sticky, golden and still a little runny. (If you like it cooked all the way through, cook it longer.)
3. Top with plain yogurt and eat!

 

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Another Reason to Love this City: Tartine Bakery

I always mean to do more reviews, so finally I have one to share.

I went for lunch with some friends (my “San Francisco parents”) at Tartine Bakery & Cafe about a month ago. And the verdict?

Fantastic sandwiches: crusty toasted bread, fresh and well-paired filling ingredients, and lots of oozy, ripe cheese.

As for dessert: not so OMG wow, but good. Perhaps I am a bit of a snob when it comes to sweets. It’s not about size for me, it’s about flavor and aesthetics. I want dessert to be small and elegant; a few generous spoonfuls bursting with the freshest tastes and textures. Not a gigantic portion of which after four bites you get bored with.

Here’s what we had:

The Spicy Turkey (peppered turkey breast, broccoli rabe pesto, and provolone, which we asked to switch out with gruyere)

Prosciutto & Provolone (San Daniele Prosciutto with dressed arugula)

Croque Monsieur (Open-faced sandwich with béchamel, gruyere, thyme and pepper. Topped with smoked Niman Ranch ham.)

 

And for dessert, which I forgot to take pictures of, we had the brioche bread pudding, tres leches cake with coconut milk, an eclair, and of course, lattes and espresso from the coffee bar.

Anyway, I’ll definitely go back, especially for their sandwiches and lattes! I have to admit disappointment with the desserts, but it’s not a Tartine thing, it’s an American thing. Tartine still has one of the best selections around, including some seasonal offerings. So yes, I will be back!

Delicious Peru

I’m back.

Ten glorious days of stuffing my face with as many Peruvian culinary delights as possible—now that is my idea of vacation. My body is a little mad at me (and was really pissed on the flight back home) for being such a glutton, but I don’t care. It was worth it.

I’ve posted pics of my favorite food memories. (Photo-quality was not my main priority when I took these—obviously.)

Papa a la Huancaina (Potatoes with Aji Amarillo Cheese Sauce)

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Pollo Relleno

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Ceviche Mixto

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Arroz con Mariscos

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Ceviche de Pejarreyes

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Tamal Verde

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Chicharronnes

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Choncholi y Rachi Rachi

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Lomo Saltado

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Pachamanca

(I realize that this post is REALLY LONG because of the photos, but I couldn’t get the pictures to appear next to each other. (Does anyone know how to do this???)