Today I wanted to cook something healthy and mainly plant-based, so I researched the New York Times recipe database and found this great recipe for Shakshuka with Feta from Melissa Clark. Below is my interpretation of her recipe.
The ingredients are:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (Melissa’s recipe calls for whole pepper, but I think that’s too much)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 28-oz can whole plum tomatoes, with juices, chopped up
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt*
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper*
- 6 oz feta, crumbled (about 1 and 1/4 cup)*
- 6 large eggs
- Chopped basil, for serving (optional)
- Sliced avocado (optional)
*Plus more to taste.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prep your vegetables (e.g. slice your onions and peppers, mince your garlic). Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch at least) oven-safe skillet. Cook the sliced onions and peppers on medium-low heat, stirring from time to time until very soft. Meanwhile, measure your spices, chop the tomatoes and crumble the feta cheese.
When the onions and peppers are very soft, add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes (don’t let brown), then stir in the spices. After about a minute, add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken and then add the feta cheese.
Gently break the eggs into the skillet over the tomatoes. (If you are worried you might break the yolk, break each egg into a shallow cup, and, if the yolk is intact, slide it into the tomatoes.) Gently transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until eggs are just set — 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil (and, if you like, add extra feta, sliced avocado, and hot sauce). Delicious!
Dessert
For dessert, I made an easy cookie skillet. All you need to do is mix with 1-1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1 1/2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and a ton of chocolate chips! Then bake in a round pan at 350F for 15-20 min.
