Tag: main course
Shakshuka
Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a spicy stewed tomato/pepper sauce containing poached eggs. It is usually garnished with cilantro, cheese, and sometimes sausage. It is always served with some type of toasted bread. Think of this as an African version of huevos rancheros.Shakshuka originated in Northern Africa, specifically Libya and Tunisia. This dish was brought to the Middle East by North African immigrants. It was created out of poverty, being a very inexpensive dish to make. It has become a staple in Israeli cuisine, eaten during breakfast and brunch. There are many different variations of shakshuka all over the Middle East. This particular recipe is how you’d traditionally eat it in Northern Africa and Israel.
Servings: 2
Equipment
- cast iron pan
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 medium white onion
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 red or green bell pepper
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- cracked black pepper
Garnish
- crumbled cheese
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat up cooking oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add in the onions and salt. Sauté for 4 minutes.
- Add in the bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Add in the canned tomatoes, water, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Make 4 wells in the sauce with the back of a large spoon. Crack an egg into each well. Turn up the heat to medium high. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes until the whites of the eggs are cooked.
- Turn off the heat. Garnish with crumbled cheese and chopped cilantro.
Pad Prik King
Pad Prik King
Pad Prik King is a simple stir fry of chicken and green beans in a sweet and spicy red curry paste sauce. This is different than red curry, since there is no coconut milk in this recipe. The addition of a salted duck egg adds a creamy saltiness to the sauce. This meal is ready from prep work to finish in 25 minutes. This also costs about $5 to make for 4 large servings.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh sliced 1/2” thick
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp red curry paste
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp palm sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 8 oz green beans
- 8 kaffir lime leaves julienned
- 1 salted duck egg chopped
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with 2 tsp of fish sauce for 15 minutes.
- Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan of wok over medium high heat. Sear the chicken for a minute a side. Remove from pan.
- Add another 2 tbsp of cooking oil and the red curry paste. Cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze thepan with chicken stock. Stir in the palm sugar, fish sauce, and lime leaves. Simmer for a minute.
- Add in the chicken, green beans, and salted duck egg.
- Simmer for 6-7 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the green beans are al dente.
Seco de Carne
Seco de Carne
Seco de Carne is another one of my favorite dishes from Los Cabos in downtown Denver. It consists of chunks of stewing beef seared then braised in beer and a cilantro pepper sauce. The sugars in the beer help break down the connective tissues in the meat. The meat is then served over rice, usually with a side of beans or boiled yellow potato. This is a great one pot meal that takes minimal effort to make.There are a couple of cuts beef that will work well with this dish. Chuck, bottom round, shank meat, and arm roast are all acceptable choices. Avoid using top round, eye of round, and sirloin tip. They are too lean for this dish.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 lbs chuck roast cubed
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 cups chicken or beef stock
- 1 cup beer lager
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 3 serrano peppers seeded
- 1/4 cup chicken or beef stock
Instructions
- Cut up chuck into 1 1/2” cubes. Season with salt.
- Heat up 2 tbsp ofcooking oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the beef on all sides for 4 minutes in total.
- Cook the beef in 2 batches, making sure that the pot isn’t overcrowded. Put in a bowl and set aside.
- Add the other 2 tbsp of cooking oil to th Dutch oven. Turn the heat down to medium high. Add in the onions. Cook for 5 minutes until translucent.
- Add in the garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add in the cumin, paprika, and salt. Cook for a minute.
- Deglaze with the beer and stock. Scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add in the beef.
- While the beef in simmering, add cilantro, serrano peppers, and 1/4 cup of stock to a blender or food processor.
- Purée.
- Add the cilantro purée to the beef. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Cover the beef and cook for 2 hours.
- Uncover and let cook for another 30 minutes.
