Cabbage and Pepper Chakchoukah

Cabbage and Pepper Chakchoukah
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
About 1 hour
Rating
5(347)
Comments
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This is a spicy Tunisian pepper stew with poached eggs, called chakchoukah. In this version, cabbage is substituted for some of the peppers in the traditional version.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6
  • 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1large onion, quartered lengthwise, then sliced thin across the grain
  • 1large green bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, seeded and sliced thin across the grain
  • 1large red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, seeded and sliced thin across the grain
  • Salt to taste
  • ½medium or 1 small head cabbage, cored and shredded (about 4 cups)
  • 2serrano chiles or jalapeños, seeded and minced
  • 4garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 to 2teaspoons harissa, to taste, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne
  • 1teaspoon lightly toasted coriander seeds, ground
  • 1teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground
  • ½teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
  • 128-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • ¼cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, or a mix
  • 6eggs
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

166 calories; 9 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 733 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil over medium heat in a large heavy casserole or skillet, or in an earthenware casserole set on a flame tamer. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. If they begin to stick to the pan add a generous pinch of salt. Add another generous pinch of salt and the peppers and cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the cabbage, chiles, coriander seeds, cumin and caraway and cook, stirring, until cabbage has wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the harissa or cayenne, salt and pepper, stir together and add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring from time to time, until tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is thick and fragrant, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in all but 2 teaspoons of the parsley or cilantro, taste and adjust seasonings.

  2. Step 2

    With the back of your spoon, make 6 depressions in the vegetables. Break an egg into each depression. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the eggs are set. Sprinkle the eggs with salt, pepper and the remaining parsley and serve.

Tips
  • If you are using an earthenware casserole, the cooking times will be longer. It will take about 10 minutes for the peppers to soften, and 30 to 40 minutes for the mixture to cook down.
  • This can be made a few days ahead through Step 1, and it will taste even better on the second day.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
347 user ratings
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Comments

I had an extra green pepper and threw that in too as well as a whole small green cabbage. It came out great. Next time, I might cut it down to 1 chile.

Since it was so spicy, I served it over couscous with a dollop of Greek yogurt. Delicious!

I understand the role of the tomato in this recipe, yet I think that it could do with a smaller amount (perhaps one 15-oz can), and with only one chili pepper. If you add a full 28-oz can the tomato will bury the spices, especially the caraway and the cabbage. It's still a satisfying recipe, but if I were to do it again, I'd cut down on the tomato.

In making this I added some chickpeas which added a nice contrast in texture. Second time around I added some sausages which was a really tasty addition. Next time around i'll be trying this with the addition of chicken. I really loved this way to use up cabbage!

I can't believe how good this is. I didn't have all the ingredients (spices, jalapenos, etc) but I improvised (ground cumin and coriander and lots of red pepper flakes) and it turned out GREAT. The texture and bite of the cabbage gives it a pleasing crunch that's not too crunchy. And I sprinkled the top with feta that really worked. A true 5 stars.

This was great! We used red cabbage, which works really well with the tomatoes and peppers. I did not add jalapeños but used some mildly spicy red peppers. I used 1 1/2 tsp of harissa but would use 1 tsp next time for more sensitive palates. I also omitted the caraway as I didn’t have it. I thought this recipe could use some side carbs, so I decided to make Mlawi, a Tunisian flatbread. It was a MUST with the intense spice and flavor of the dish, and great for scooping up stewy vegetables.

If your eggs or their edges turn blue/green while cooking this recipe, do not be alarmed--it is a natural chemical reaction between red cabbage juice and naturally alkaline egg white. boy was i shocked to find this out the hard way

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