Spicy Tomato and Pepper Sauce–Poached Eggs

Serves 4

Pan IconWHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: This dish, a quick version of a popular Mediterranean recipe called shakshuka, puts a whole new twist on eggs for dinner. We start by whipping up a simple savory tomato and pepper sauce with jalapeños, garlic, paprika, and cumin. Once the sauce has simmered and thickened and its flavors have melded, we make wells in the sauce for the eggs to poach. This method is not only efficient and minimizes cookware but also allows the eggs to soak up flavor. To make it easier to add the eggs to the simmering sauce, we break each one into a teacup first and then carefully slide it into the sauce. A sprinkling of feta added before serving provides a creamy counterpoint that, along with some parsley, is the perfect finish. We like the taste of sheep’s milk feta cheese in this recipe, but any creamy feta cheese will work. See Quick Prep Tip that follows the recipe.

3

tablespoons olive oil

2

jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine

1

red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin

1

onion, chopped

4

garlic cloves, minced

1

tablespoon paprika

½

teaspoon ground cumin

1

(28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper

4

large eggs

2

ounces feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup)

2

tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add jalapeños, bell pepper, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Make 4 shallow wells (each about 2 inches wide) in surface of sauce. Crack each egg into individual cup, then slide 1 egg into each indentation. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until eggs are just set, about 5 minutes. Scoop pepper mixture and eggs into individual serving bowls, sprinkle each with feta and parsley, and serve.