Moroccan Shakshuka
- Total Time
- 2 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1large red bell pepper
- 2tablespoons grapeseed or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½cups finely diced red onion
- 2tablespoons minced garlic
- 6cups diced canned tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- 1cup carrot juice
- 1tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
- ¾teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼teaspoon ground white pepper
- Pinch of cayenne
- 2½tablespoons minced preserved lemon
- 1tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1tablespoon chopped cilantro, plus tender sprigs for garnish
- 6large egg yolks, at room temperature
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
- 1½teaspoons kosher salt
- 2teaspoons sweet paprika
- 2teaspoons ground cumin
- ½teaspoon ground white pepper
- ⅛teaspoon cayenne
- ¼cup finely diced red onion
- 1tablespoon minced parsley
- 1tablespoon minced cilantro
- 1teaspoon minced garlic
- 8ounces ground beef (80 percent lean)
- 8ounces ground lamb
- 1large egg, beaten
For the Tomato Sauce
For the Kefta
Preparation
- Step 1
Make the sauce: Over an open flame on the stove top or under the broiler, roast the red pepper until skin is black and blistered all over, 8 to 12 minutes, turning the pepper as needed. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, cover with a plate or plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Uncover and rub the skin off, then seed and finely chop the pepper.
- Step 2
In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and cook until starting to brown, 7 to 12 minutes. Stir in garlic and roasted red pepper, and sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Step 3
Stir in tomatoes, carrot juice, thyme, salt, paprika, cumin, white pepper, cayenne and ¼ cup water, and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium-low heat until mixture is reduced by a third, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
- Step 4
While the sauce simmers, make the kefta: Drizzle olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet and turn on your broiler.
- Step 5
In a large bowl, mix the salt, paprika, cumin, white pepper, cayenne, red onion, parsley, cilantro and garlic. Mix in the beef, lamb and beaten egg just to combine, then scoop out 1½-inch balls, transferring to prepared baking sheet. Flatten balls slightly, then broil without turning until well browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 6
When ready to serve, stir the preserved lemon, parsley and cilantro into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Arrange kefta in sauce along the outer edges of the skillet, leaving room for the egg yolks in the middle. Simmer kefta balls in sauce until they are cooked through and the sauce has reduced a little more, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Step 7
Slip yolks into the center of the pan, cover pan and heat gently until yolks are warmed through, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro sprigs.
Private Notes
Comments
If I don't have a juicer, can I use grated carrots instead? And if so, how much?
The type of oil doesn't matter. The carrot details don't matter either. Just cook it, and don't sweat about the details. It's really good. (For the record, I used olive oil and finely diced carrots. And only lamb, no beef.)
To be honest, I made only the kefta, not the delicious sounding sauce (next time). This is by far the best recipe for kefta I have found. I doubled the amount of parsley and cilantro, and used 1 tsp. sweet paprika and 1 tsp. hot smoked paprika. Then I made it into four patties (I'll probably make six next time) and grilled it over a hot charcoal fire. We served it with a yogurt and cucumber salad and pita.
A nice rose wine added the finishing touch.
Question: Could the meatballs be made with chicken or turkey? My husband and I both have Alpha-Gal Syndrome — no mammalian meat!! If not lays eggs, we can eat it! .
Made this with about four cups of tomatoes instead of six. Added significantly more spices and then it turned out great!
Less preserved lemon, try 1.5 tablespoons