In this dish:
- olive oil
- onion
- salt and pepper
- red pepper flakes
- paprika
- cumin
- chili powder
- garlic
- one can diced tomatoes
- one can tomato sauce
- eggs
- pasta
- kale
- balsamic vinegar
- parmesan
- sour cream
It’s been a tough week in Minneapolis.
Another murder of an unarmed black man by a white police officer.
Peaceful protests followed by destructive riots.
I take a lot of pride in my city. But this week was a sad reminder that so much is broken—and even those who understand this have a hard time knowing what to do. We all feel heavy with grief and anger and confusion.
So I cooked something warm and comforting and simple. This favorite meal of mine is based on shakshuka, a spiced tomato and egg dish popular in North Africa and the Middle East.
I’m pretty loosey-goosey with the concept, but I think I get at the heart of it.
Here’s what I do:
Chop a quarter onion (any kind) into crescent strips and cook in oil with salt and a few shakes each of red pepper flakes, paprika, cumin, and chili powder.
Once the onion is getting soft, throw in a clove of chopped garlic and cook for a minute before adding a can of diced tomatoes.
Cook those tomatoes, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes before adding a can of tomato sauce. Let the whole cauldron bubble for another few minutes. Then crack four eggs into the hot tomato pond, cover the pot, and let the eggs cook. This’ll take up to ten minutes or so if you want fully cooked eggs—less if you want runny yolks. Monitor along the way.
Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, hit the whole mess with salt, pepper, and grated parmesan.
We like to eat shakshuka atop warm pasta, or even better, a kale salad that’s been topped with warm pasta (oh, the layers!). Or skip the pasta, skip the kale, and just pile the shakshuka over slices of buttered toast.
Whatever you do, top everything with more parm and maybe a dollop of sour cream. Eat. Let your heavy heart be heavy.
Here’s to righting wrongs, or at least moving in that direction.
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