Take your tastebuds on a trip to Tunisia and Israel with this traditional braised spicy stewed tomato dish.
Chef Ari Bokovza joined "Good Morning America" to share a recipe inspired by his family heritage -- Shakshuka.
The executive chef and partner of the recently reopened New York City Mediterranean restaurant Dagon explained the exotic spices and technique that go into the dish, which can be transformed into two dishes with the addition of fresh fish.
Check out his full recipe below.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sliced garlic
1 cup sliced Italian long hot pepper or jalapeño (w seeds, if you don’t like too spicy you can remove the seeds)
2/3 cup harissa (can use store bought)
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 cups blitzed (blended) over ripe fresh tomato (can sub w good quality san Marzano canned tomatoes)
2 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Small pinch of chili flakes to top it off
Instructions
In a pot add the olive oil and heat on medium.
Add the garlic and fresh chili and gently sweat until fragrant … a little color on the garlic is okay but be sure not to burn it. Add the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. Add the paprika, chili flake, and harissa and cook for a few more minutes, until fragrant. Season with a couple pinches of salt to taste as you go.
Add the tomato juice and tomato puree and bring to a gentle simmer. Continue to cook on low heat for one more hour.
Once done taste and adjust for salt. This is always best served the next day.
When ready to cook: Place a ladle of sauce in the pan, enough to cover the bottom.
Pan size depends on how many eggs you want to cook (assuming you are cooking for 2, you can use an 8- to 10-inch pan).
Ladle enough sauce in the pan to cover the bottom 2 inches deep.
If you plan to cook 6 eggs (3 eggs per person) make 6 wells or pockets in the sauce using the bottom of a spoon or ladle (this ensures that the egg stays encapsulated rather than running over).
Cover with foil and bake for 6 to 7 minutes (or longer if you prefer a well-done egg).
Garnish with some paprika, chopped cilantro, Maldon salt, extra virgin olive oil, and a nice crusty piece of bread.
For the fish
Use just about any fish you like…but I would stay away from the “meatier” types of fish such as sword, tuna, or monkfish. Good braising options include branzino, black bass, snapper, or dourade.
Take 2 fillets of fish, season both sides with salt and pepper. I like to leave the skin on but you can ask your fishmonger to take it off -- if you do decide to leave the skin on you must have the fishmonger scale it for you.
Ladle in some Shakshuka sauce (6-8 ounces) to the pan and put the pan on medium heat.
Bring the sauce to a simmer, then gently lay the 2 seasoned fillets into the sauce and put the pan, covered, into a 450-degree oven.
Allow the fish to braise until it is cooked through.
All ovens are different so there isn’t an exact cooking time for this. As a general rule of thumb, I allow the fish to cook 60 to 90 seconds per ounce of fish. If you have a 6-ounce piece of fish, I would check it after 6 minutes and if it still feels raw in the middle let it cook for another 2-3 minutes. You can always allow the fish to cook further if it's undercooked, but you can’t go back if it’s overcooked.
Once done, transfer the sauce and fish to a serving platter and garnish with olive oil and sea salt.
