Chakshouka with Parmesan Polenta
Chakchouka (or Shakshouka and other various spellings) is a middle Eastern dish traditionally served in a cast iron pan with flatbread to dip into the sauce. Its popular in Israel, where it is often served as a breakfast dish. Its quite similar to the Mexican breakfast dish Huevos Rancheros (Ranch Eggs) and perhaps it has common roots. Traditionally it would not include polenta! But here I'm using chargrilled peppers and hot chillies to contrast with soft creamy cubes of polenta.
Photographed in daylight
Ingredients
50g cornmeal
150ml boiling water
1 tsp salt
20g grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp oil
1 onion chopped
2 red peppers
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped hot red chillies (or more if you like!)
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
Glass of red wine
1 tsp sugar
2 eggs
Method
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Chakchouka (or Shakshouka and other various spellings) is a middle Eastern dish traditionally served in a cast iron pan with flatbread to dip into the sauce. Its popular in Israel, where it is often served as a breakfast dish. Its quite similar to the Mexican breakfast dish Huevos Rancheros (Ranch Eggs) and perhaps it has common roots. Traditionally it would not include polenta! But here I'm using chargrilled peppers and hot chillies to contrast with soft creamy cubes of polenta.
Photographed in daylight
Ingredients
50g cornmeal
150ml boiling water
1 tsp salt
20g grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp oil
1 onion chopped
2 red peppers
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped hot red chillies (or more if you like!)
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
Glass of red wine
1 tsp sugar
2 eggs
Method
- Put the cornmeal in a saucepan and stir in the boiling water and salt. keep stirring over a low heat until the corneal is cooked (6 - 8 minutes for quick cook cornmeal). Stir in the cheese until melted.
- Pour the cornmeal into a square dish lined with clingfilm and leave to set in the fridge. When set, cut into cubes.
- Cut the peppers in half from stem to base, deseed and roughly flatten them out, cutting them as necessary. Place under a hot grill until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.
- Place the peppers in a plastic food bag and allow to cool. Peel off the skin allowing a few charred bits to remain. Cut into strips.
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook a few more minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, chilli and red wine. Simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste.
- Heat oven to 180 C. Add the pepper strips and polenta chunks to the tomato sauce. Transfer to a heatproof dish and cook in the oven for 20 mins.
- Make depressions in the sauce and crack an egg into each one. Put a lid on the pan and carry on cooking in the oven until the whites of the eggs have set but the yolks are still runny (approx 15 mins)
- Garnish with the chopped parsley or coriander.
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