Tel Aviv is truly a foodie’s paradise with so many fresh and beautiful veggies, incredible spices, and great restaurants! We especially love the open-air markets (shuks) where a rainbow of colors await beckon whether it’s fruit, veggies, or spices. So many bakeries offering a wide assortment of local and unique types of bread and sidewalk cafes serving fuul (fava bean stew) and shakshuka! Don’t forget to stop by the juice lady for freshly-squeezed pomegranate juice! My trip included a full day market tour and cooking class offered by Orly Ziv. I wish I could start that day all over again, it was so much fun!
Shakshuka is a savory dish of eggs poached in simmering tomato sauce made with the warm spices of North Africa and the Middle East. If you’ve never tasted shakshuka you should definitely make a point of it, because it is delicious! It can certainly be served for breakfast, and often is in the Middle East, but it also makes a fantastic vegetarian dinner. This green version combines sautéed kale, arugula, diced jalapeno, and goat cheese before poaching the eggs and it is also wonderful. It will kind of remind you of a very fancy creamed spinach. Garnish it with tomatillos, avocado, feta, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice to round out these amazing flavors.
Green Shakshuka with Kale, Arugula, Jalapeno, and Avocado
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion coarsely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 jalapeño finely diced
- 10 oz. baby kale leaves
- 10 oz. arugula leaves or spinach, cilantro or Swiss chard
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1/2-3/4 cup chicken broth
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 8 eggs
Garnishes
- 4 ounces feta cheese
- 1 avocado sliced or chopped
- 1 large tomatillo diced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Freshly squeezed lime
Instructions
- In a large skillet or frying pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion until translucent and beginning to brown.Add garlic and jalapeno and continue to cook for another few minutes.Add kale and spinach leaves, a handful at a time, and cook until tender and wilted, continuing until all of the kale and arugula have been added.Pour in the chicken broth and crumble the goat cheese over the top.Cook until chicken broth is absorbed and goat cheese is melted.Stir to integrate.
- Make eight small round indentations in the mixture with the back of a wooden spoon and crack an egg into each of the hollows.Cover pan with a lid and cook on medium-low until the eggs are set and the yolks are cooked to your desired level: soft, medium or hard-cooked.
- Remove the lid and season with salt and pepper.Garnish the entire pan, or each individual serving with any or all of the listed garnishes.Serve with a tortilla or flatbread.
