To the East my brother, to the East. Shakshuka.

Never did  I say it.  Not one time.  Not even once did I ever say that the only place in the world where one can find authentic soul food is in America.  My dear children, I have not said that, will not say it and firmly don't believe such a statement to be true.  Cause it ain't.  Yes, I did say "ain't."

Now, what I have tried to communicate is that I believe the proposition that there are two major categories of food that qualify as "Soul Food" these being  Orthodox and Unorthodox.  Often I will refer to them as "Soul Food Proper" and "General Soul Food."  These two differ in that one is composed of traditional dishes that came about as a result of disenfranchised people taking what was given to them because their social standing denied them access to certain foods, and elevating the ingredients they did receive into something now widely and even globally recognized as quality fare.  This is my description of Orthodox or Soul Food Proper.

However, I also believe that there is an entire category of foods in every culture that qualify generally as Soul Foods in that culture RATHER than the foods that would be considered "Fine Dining" foods.  These are the ones often made from cheaper ingredients or have strong familial and traditional history.  They are sometimes comfort foods or even street foods that vendors have been selling for generations to the working and poor people of their homeland.  

There is also a legitimate argument that Soul Food is whatever food that one puts their own heart and soul into when making it.  I know that my dear daughter, Nicole understands this.  She's the first to inform people that don't quite get why we love to fellowship, cook and eat together that among  our family's love languages is food, cooking and fellowship.  My baby gets it because she's lived it.  Some foods and food experiences touch our soul because of where they take us and who they connect us to.  That is why I think Shakshuka is definitely a Soul Food.

Shakshuka starts with fresh ingredients.  I use Roma tomatoes, jalapeno for heat, onions and mushrooms to add a meaty bite.

Ask any of the millions of people that eat Shakshuka if they consider it a Soul Food and after they are done smiling (or even while they are smiling) at the thought of this North African and Middle Eastern staple, they will tell you that it most certainly is.  Spicy.  Sweet.  Warm.  Comforting. Home.  These are but a few of the terms I've heard when describing Shakshuka, and now I see why it's becoming so popular here in the West.  But it's not just the hipsters that are loving this dish.

Because Shashuka is essentially eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce, in many places it's generally associated with breakfast.  However because of its versatility of potential ingredients it's always found its way to lunch, brunch and dinner tables.  Shakshuka is typically spiced heavily with cumin and garlic.  I decided to forego the Harisa and instead go with a variety of peppers to get my heat on.  Some versions of this dish include potatoes, artichokes and even meats like sausage.  I think I'm gonna get more creative the next time I do a Shakshuka, cause meat is ALWAYS on the menu for a brotha!  Sorry Vegans.  Not sorry.

Add all of the fresh, chopped ingredients to a cast iron pan along with cumin, salt, black pepper, paprika sauteing them together before adding the tomatoes and cook down to a nice thick but still moist consistency.  Make sure to taste!

Although good canned tomatoes can be used in place of fresh, I honestly never considered not using fresh tomatoes since I could actually find some that looked quite good.  Of course whole canned tomatoes cook down much faster, so there's that if you're in a hurry and using them is not quite sacrilegious.

Scoop out pockets in the sauce to add the eggs.  Do NOT break them or you've blown it!  Then, reduce the heat and let simmer covered until your eggs are just done.  Remember the eggs are gonna keep cooking so be ready to serve just before they reach your desired doneness.  Add salt, pepper and cilantro and you're in there.

My best advice is to go fresh with this dish, at least the first time.  And oh yeah...get a nice baguette and toast up some slices to eat with this baby!  Here's one of my favorite recipes.

 

Stretch your cooking wings and give this one a try.  It's worth it!

Kev