This recipe is a creamy and comforting take on shakshuka, a North African dish in which eggs are slowly poached in a flavourful tomato and pepper-based sauce. Here, we’re swapping out the tomatoes and peppers for a base of leeks, spinach and parsley to give it a fresh and herbaceous twist. Once you get comfortable with the technique of making this shakshuka, you can adapt the ingredients to suit your taste and use up what you have lying around in the fridge. Limp herbs or wilted greens? Chop them up. Prefer kale or collards over spinach? Swap them in. Feta can be used instead of goat cheese, olive oil instead of butter, you get the idea! Almost anything goes, and this recipe can easily be doubled or halved depending on how many people you’re serving.
ingredients
directions
If you prefer your eggs fully set, pop the pan under your broiler for a minute or two (just be sure to use an oven-safe pan).
Add butter to a large cast iron (or non-stick) pan set over medium heat.
Once the butter is fully melted, increase the heat to medium-high and add sliced leeks along with ½ teaspoon sea salt to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft and just starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes.
Lower heat to medium. Stir in ¼ teaspoon black pepper and minced garlic, cooking for another 2 minutes before adding the parsley, thyme and a generous pinch of lemon zest. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
Start adding handfuls of spinach to the leek mixture, allowing the greens to wilt down between each handful. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.
Add the vegetable broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until you are left with about 2-3 tablespoons of liquid.
Add the juice of half a lemon and ⅔ of the cubed goat cheese. Stir until a creamy sauce forms. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Lower the heat to medium-low. Use the back of a spoon to make a well for each egg in the sauce.
Crack an egg into each well. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over each egg and season with salt and pepper.
Nestle the remaining goat cheese cubes between the eggs.
Cover the pan and let the eggs steam gently on low heat for about 4-6 minutes until they reach your desired consistency. Add a splash of water if the pan starts to look dry before the eggs are fully cooked.
Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges. Garnish eggs with additional parsley. Serve hot with fresh bread of your choice, lemon wedges and a drizzle of hot honey, if using.
