Shakshuka

Yield: 6 servings

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon harissa
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 6 large eggs
• Pitas or crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper, season with salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the paprika and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the harissa and tomato paste and cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer over low heat until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and cilantro and season with salt.
   
2. Raise the heat to moderate and with a wooden spoon, make indentations into the mix.  Break and pour each egg into its own indentiation. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Season the eggs with salt. Transfer the eggs to bowls along with some of the sauce. Serve with warmed pitas or crusty bread.

Notes:

• The recipe can be prepared through Step 1 and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat before proceeding.
• Important: The eggs will take a very long time to poach if they are right out of the refrigerator.  Better to bring them to room temperature well in advance.  Maybe even poach in water and add at last minute.

Variations:

• Very nice with zucchini slices added a couple minutes before the eggs.  Also with a little farmer cheese or queso fresco crumbled on top [Israeli huevos rancheros.]

Source:  Food and Wine

Hummus Masabacha

Yield:  4 cups


Time: 75 minutes plus overnight soaking 


Ingredients

• 1/2 pound dried chickpeas
•  1 tablespoon baking soda
•  7 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
•  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
•  1/2 cup tahini, at room temperature (see Note)
•  1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•  Salt
•  Paprika, for garnish
•  1/4 cup chopped parsley
•  Pita bread, for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, cover the dried chickpeas with 2 inches of water and stir in the baking soda. 
2. Refrigerate the chickpeas overnight. Drain the chickpeas and rinse them under cold water.
3.  In a medium saucepan, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of fresh water. Add the garlic cloves and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the chickpeas are tender, about 40 minutes. Drain, reserving 10 tablespoons of the cooking water and 2 tablespoons of the chickpeas. Rinse the chickpeas under cold water. Peel the garlic cloves.
4. In a food processor, puree the chickpeas with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, 1/4 cup of the olive oil and 6 of the garlic cloves. Add the cumin along with 1/4 cup each of the tahini and lemon juice and process until creamy. Season the hummus with salt and transfer to a serving bowl.
5. Wipe out the food processor. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of tahini, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and garlic clove and puree.
6. Using a ladle, make an indent in the center of the hummus. Spoon in the tahini-lemon mixture. Sprinkle the hummus with the cumin and paprika. 
7. Garnish with the reserved whole chickpeas and the parsley, and serve with pita bread.

Notes: 

• Next time try with a little less oil, or with more lemon juice in the tahini sauce, which is very thick when whipped in food processor. 
• The ungarnished hummus and cooked chickpeas can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days. 
• Tahini has a tendency to separate, so be sure to stir the sesame paste thoroughly before measuring.
  

Variations:

• Garnish with pureed red peppers, fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts and zaatar, boiled eggs, fava beans, hot sauce.

Source:  http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/israeli-hummus-with-paprika-and-whole-chickpeas-cocktails-2009