Shakchouka (Eggs poached in Tomato & Chili Sauce)

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Monday October 1st, 2018 aglaia Leave a comment

From my book Mediterranean HOT and SPICY (Broadway)

Similar to huevos rancheros, shakchouka or chakchuka gets its delicious flavor from the hot and fragrant chilies of the Mediterranean, and of course from vine-ripened summer tomatoes of any kind.

The best shakchouka I’ve tasted was served in a restaurant called Doctor Shakchouka, in Jaffa, Israel. The owner brings the dish to the table in the skillet in which it is cooked, and diners dip big pieces of crusty bread into it, devouring them instantly.

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PHOTO BY ANASTASSIOS MENTIS

Serves 6
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Scrambled Eggs with Fava and Garlic

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Thursday December 10th, 2015 aglaia Leave a comment

Inspired by David Tanis’ Spanish Asparagus Revuelto

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Serves 4-6 (more…)

Spicy Pickled Octopus

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Friday March 8th, 2024 aglaia 2 Comments

Pickled octopus is one of the most common Greek mezze, served with ouzo in taverns all over the country.

To serve the pickled octopus, drain 1-2 tentacles, slice them and dress with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkling with fresh or dried savory or oregano. You can also add it to potato salad, as we did during the Clean Monday Lunch at the Oxford Symposium, a few years back.

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In the souks of Tunisia dried octopuses are sold, along with small dried fish, like smelts and tiny shrimps. All these dried sea creatures are soaked in water and added to the fish couscous and other dishes.

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Fresh Fava with Garlic, Preserved Lemon, Fennel and Cilantro

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Sunday July 26th, 2015 aglaia 1 Comment

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Serves 4
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Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes and Paspalas, the Kea ‘pork confit’

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Wednesday February 17th, 2021 aglaia Leave a comment

The name of the dish, as well as the bits of pork that are simmered until tender and then fried in their fat are called ‘papspalas’ in the local dialect of the island.

READ more about it.

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Because I make these scrumptious scrambled eggs mostly in the winter, I roast the pale, greenhouse tomatoes to give them more flavor. In the summer, diced fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes are perfect for this, as for any other dish. You just need to cook them a bit longer in olive oil until their juices become syrupy. See also Bonnie S. Benwick’s version at the Washington Post.

Serves 2-3 as a main course, 5-6 as part of a meze spread

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