SHAKSHOUKA

SHAKSHUKA WITH A TWIST

Shakshuka is a tomato & red pepper based Middle Eastern dish with poached eggs right into the sauce, traditionally served with pita or bread. It is a one-skillet dish with tons of flavourful herbs & spices. 

My twist on a classic recipe is the addition of some leftover tofu & beans for some added heartiness. You can add any additional items to this base such as breakfast meats, mushrooms, or even harissa paste for a burst of flavour. 

INGREDIENTS

oven safe skillet

traditional pita or any bread you have on hand (I used rosemary ciabatta this time)

4 eggs

4 medium tomatoes (normally I use 1 can of diced tomatoes for a richer sauce but I did not have any) 

1/2 medium bell pepper

1 small onion

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp brown sugar (optional, helps to caramelize the tomatoes)

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tbsp dried thyme leaves

feta cheese (substitute for goat cheese or any other tangy cheese)

parsley to garnish

salt & pepper to taste

SHAKSHOUKA can be made without these ingredients but if you want to add some heartiness to your breakfast or brunch, add:
OPTIONAL: 1/2 can of navy beans or chick peas 

OPTIONAL: tofu

NOTE: Recipe shown with additional ingredients added.

METHOD

Chop your tomatoes into tiny pieces. Heat your skillet on high, add olive oil & chopped tomatoes so they begin to break down. 

Mince garlic, chop onions, & bell peppers. 

Add your garlic & onions to the pot, mix, let the sauce simmer then add chopped bell peppers. You add each ingredient one at a time to build flavours into the dish. 

Reduce heat to medium. Add brown sugar, ground cumin, smoked paprika, fresh & dried thyme leaves to your skillet. 

Add 1/4 cup water to deglaze the pan. 

Add chopped tofu & beans to your Shakshouka. Let the sauce continue to simmer. 

Meanwhile, slice & slightly toast your bread with some extra virgin olive oil. 

Mix the sauce one last time then add crumbles of feta. Do not mix again.

Create 4 wells into your sauce for the eggs.

Tip: I always crack my eggs into a bowl then add it to any dish to avoid cracking shells into the pot or pan. 

Add eggs into the wells & cover skillet. Reduce heat to low. The steam will slowly poach the eggs to over easy; keep a runny yolk. 

Garnish with chopped parsley, sea salt & black pepper. 

Serve immediately with warm bread; serves up to 4. 

XO 

Kiran | THE BLANK PLATE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

It's the autumn season, the time of year that grocery stores are filled with harvest vegetables & turkeys. For Thanksgiving this year, I decided to do something different other than the classic turkey with bread stuffing, boring cranberry sauce from a can, or predictable mashed potatoes. For the bakers & chefs in the household, preparing a whole turkey with four sides, two sauces, & two desserts for family & friends can be very overwhelming. I wanted to keep it simple & sophisticated.

I chose to serve a beef roast with a tart cranberry sauce. It's all about time management & with almost all my dishes being baked, it made my Thanksgiving a breeze.

I chose to highlight the quality ingredients such as crisp green beans & sharp aged cheddar with a touch of flavourful herbs. Push aside mother's old recipe box & try new age traditional recipes with a modern unconventional twist.

ROSEMARY ROAST BEEF

1 beef sirloin roast

2 tbsp chopped rosemary

1 tbsp crushed peppercorns

1 tbsp crushed garlic flakes

1 tsp salt

Remove roast from packaging. In a bowl combine crushed peppercorns, rosemary, garlic flakes, & salt. Rub over beef sirloin roast.

Place roast in a shallow roasting pan at 400 degrees. For a medium rare 50-60 mins, pop up medium 60 to 70 minutes, or well done 70 to 80 mins.

Remove roast, cover with aluminum foil & let it rest for 30 mins before slicing to seal in all the juices. Do not clean the roasting pan.

THYME GRAVY

beef drippings in pot

splash of white wine

1/2 cup beef broth

2 beef bouillon cube

1 tbsp thyme leaves

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp butter

Remove any burnt pieces in pan. Keep the heat on medium & deglaze the pan with a generous splash of white wine.

Create a rue by adding butter & flour to the pot. (This will make your gravy, soup, or stew thick versus watery). Use a whisk to remove any lumps.

Add beef broth, beef bouillon cube, & thyme leaves. Whisk & let simmer until the gravy becomes thick.

POTATO, CHEDDAR, & SCALLION FAN

1 large yukon gold potato

3 tbsp aged cheddar

2 tbsp chopped scallions

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Wash potato. Do not peel. Using a sharp knife, make slices across the potato the short way about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart but do not go all the way through to the bottom of the potato. The slices should stay connected at the bottom.

Drizzle with olive oil & bake at 400 degrees for 50-55 mins. Remove from oven, add cheese in between potato layers & broil for 5 mins until cheese is brown.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro & chopped scallions before serving.

LEMON, TOASTED ALMONDS & PARMESAN GREEN BEANS

2 cups green beans

1/2 lemon

2 tbsp sliced almonds

2 tbsp grated parmesan

Fill a pot with water & bring to a boil. In another bowl, add cold water & ice cubes. Toss the green beans into the boiling water, drain, & immediately toss into the ice water, then drain again. This is called blanching & stops the cooking process so your beans stay crisp.

Place in sheet tray with sliced almonds & bake for 10 mins.

Squeeze lemon juice & sprinkle grated parmesan right before serving.

PLUM-CRANBERRY SAUCE

1 large plum

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp bourbon

In a pot, add thinly sliced plums & bourbon. Then add water, sugar, & cranberries. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & let cranberries simmer until it forms a thick sauce consistency.

ORANGE-CRANBERRY BASIL COCKTAIL

vodka

cointreau

1 tsp sugar

3 cranberries

3 basil leaves

1 slice orange

Make according to taste. Garnish with orange slice, cranberries, & basil leaves.

APPLE LEAF TART

1 pie crust

1 gala apple

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

Thinly slice apple. Toss with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, & allspice. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 mins.

Roll out pie crust. Using a paring knife, cut dough into leaf shape. Arrange apple slices layered over one another outlined by the leaf shape.

Put back into oven for 10 mins, then broil on low heat for 5 mins.

Serve with strawberries & vanilla ice cream.

XO 

Kiran & THE BLANK PLATE

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN CLASSICS

I have a major shoe problem! And it's not what you imagine. 

I have a habit of shopping for the most flashy, loud, non-classic shoes of the season. And when I look in my wardrobe for something simple & classic, which is what this past year's style has been all about, I have nothing. 

Being a size 41 is also a problem because it seems like so are a lot of other women & the classics sell so quickly, which leaves me constantly calling Neimans, Saks & Barneys from city to city. Canada custom's duties & taxes are a story for another day.

I finally found the Louboutin 'So Kate's at Neiman Marcus in Atlanta a few days ago in suede. They almost look matte & they are so easy to wear with anything. I also found the Christian Louboutin nail polish. The story is pretty inspiring in itself & also just an excuse for me justify buying every single nail polish he ever makes! 

"The red sole was born from red nail polish. I am giving back to nails what the shoe took from the nails many years ago." - CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

I am still on the hunt for the patent So Kate's in black & nude.

What's your favourite classic shoe?

XO 

Jyoti