The tomato-rich Tunisian dish, shakshuka, gets a green makeover in this new version plucked from America’s Test Kitchen’s new “The Complete Plant Based Cookbook: 500 Inspired, Flexible Recipes for Eating Well Without Meat” (America’s Test Kitchen; $35). This veggie-filled version has a few differences: It swaps tomatoes and paprika for herbs, chard stems, spinach and coriander; and it uses a blended mixture of those greens and broth to create a creamy sauce, with peas added for texture.
To make it vegan, skip the feta. And if you’re adding eggs, follow the variation at the bottom and avoid removing the lid as they cook for the first five minutes, as it will increase their cooking time.
Green Shakshuka
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 pounds Swiss chard, stems removed and reserved, leaves chopped
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped fine
¾ teaspoon table salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
11 ounces baby spinach, chopped
½ cup vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Directions
Slice chard stems thin to yield 1 cup; discard remaining stems or reserve for another use. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add chard stems, onion and salt and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add chard leaves and spinach. Increase heat to medium-high, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted but still bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, transfer 1 cup chard mixture to blender. Add broth and process until smooth, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Stir chard mixture, peas and lemon juice into pot.
Sprinkle with feta (if using), dill and mint and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Serve immediately.
Variation: Green Shakshuka with Eggs
After stirring the chard mixture, peas and lemon juice into the pot at the end of step 2, make 4 shallow indentations (about 2 inches wide) in the surface of the greens using the back of a spoon. Crack 2 eggs into each indentation, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon dried Aleppo pepper, then sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon table salt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until edges of egg whites are just set, 5 to 10 minutes. Off heat, let sit, covered, until whites are fully set and yolks are still runny, 2 to 4 minutes. Garnish with feta (if using), dill and mint and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Serve immediately.
— From “The Complete Plant Based Cookbook” (America’s Test Kitchen; $35)
