Recipe Review from 3/26/2018

Spring is certainly taking it's sweet time getting here, tantalizing us with 40* temps one day, then frigid winds and 30* the next, with a whollup of snow on the weekend. 

It was also Minicon weekend!  So I took the annual trip to the Cities for a bit of scifi-ish R&R.  

The Meal Plan 
Sat - Cities
Sun - Cities;  Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Mon (Yoga/Bookgroup/Legion) pulled pork
Tues - Lentil Shakshuka
Wed - Leftovers lentils
Thurs - Sun - Minicon!


Curried Cocunut Lentil Shakshuka   (Food52 Blog)  vegetarian, gluten free
This came recommended through a foodie website I like to follow.  I fully admit, I LOVE just about anything with lentils and eggs.  Total comfort food for me.   This was no exception - it came together very quickly, I loved the warm spices, and add in that poached egg on top...yum. Just yum. 

My main modification to this dish was I skipped the whole baking bit.  This doesn't need to be baked, the eggs will cook quite nicely right on the stove.  In addition, I only cooked two eggs, enough for the husband and I for that supper.  I poached more eggs the next night to serve over the leftovers.

This makes enough for four, or, in my case, enough for two people for two suppers.  I did serve with naan.

3 tablespoons olive oil

Food52 Blog, photo by Julie Gartland

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder, or to taste (a salt-free mild or maharajah-style curry recommended)
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (or a 26.5-ounce box of chopped tomatoes--I like the Pomi brand) 
(I used 1-28 oz can diced tomatoes )
3/4 cup dried red lentils
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk, well-stirred
1/3 cup water, plus more as needed
Pinch or two of red chile flakes, optional
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, or to taste
6 eggs at room temperature  4 eggs are plenty
For serving: chopped cilantro; warm naan (or flatbread or pita) 

Heat oven to 375° F. 

In a 10 to 12-inch skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, then the curry powder. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, or until the curry is fragrant.

Add the tomatoes with their juice (tip: If using whole tomatoes, use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes into small pieces once they’re in the skillet), lentils, coconut milk, water, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom the pan so the sauce doesn’t stick; add a little extra water if needed. The finished sauce should be thick like a marinara sauce, with only a tablespoon or two of liquid left. Add red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, to taste. Add chile flakes if you’d like more heat.

With the back of a spoon, make six small indentations in the sauce and crack the eggs into each one. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer pan to oven. Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes, until the egg whites are fully cooked and the yolks are still runny or more set, depending on preference.
Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with warm naan