Serves: 2 - Time:
A great vegetable dish, the base of this shakshuka can be used in so many ways: double the quantities to make a delicious vegetable lasagne, or for a quicker light lunch or supper, pile on toasted sourdough with a little crumbled goats cheese instead of eggs. If you can’t find cavolo nero you can use kale or spinach. And add more eggs if you want a more substantial meal. The cooking of eggs for shakshuka is tricky timing-wise. My base was at room temperature when I added the eggs so the total cooking time took longer than if the mushroom mix had come straight out of the pan. I suggest checking the eggs after 18-20 minutes but mine took nearer 30 minutes for the whites of the egg to set sufficiently. Always cover with a lid to prevent the yolks from drying out and going crinkly.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 leek, trimmed and cleaned and finely sliced
- 300g chestnut mushrooms, brushed clean and finely chopped
- 100g cavolo nero, tough spines pulled out
- 150ml vegetable stock
- 4 black garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
- 2 portobello mushrooms, peeled and stalk removed
- 2-4 eggs depending on hunger
Method
- First find an ovenproof dish (or use an ovenproof frying pan) with a lid- you need this to cook the shakshuka. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan and gently cook the leeks with a pinch of salt, stirring regularly for 10-12 minutes until the leeks are soft but not too coloured. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in the same pan and add the chopped chestnut mushrooms. Cook over a lively heat for 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and light golden. Return the leeks to the pan and stir into the mushrooms. Roughly chop the cavolo nero and add to the vegetables along with the vegetable stock and black garlic. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until the cavolo nero is tender. Stir in the parsley and dill and taste and season with salt and ground black pepper. Spoon into the ovenproof dish.
- Heat the oven to fan 180°c, mark 6. Wipe out the frying pan and pour in the remaining tablespoon of oil. Fry the Portobello mushrooms for about 2-3 minutes each side. Make a couple of indentations in the mushroom mixture and place the Portobello mushrooms in each, gills side up. You can prepare up to this stage well in advance –just read the intro about the cooking time of the eggs if your mix is at room temperature or cold.
- Carefully crack an egg into a ramekin and pour on top of the large mushroom. Repeat with the remaining egg (if you are cooking more eggs simple make indentations in the mushroom mix and tip in the eggs). Cover the dish with a lid and bake for about 20-30 minutes –check under the lid regularly to see how the eggs are cooking. Scatter over a little dill and drizzle over some sriracha if you like it hot.
