PProvenance
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Cooking in
Duncan · the Cowichan Valley
Nearest city · Victoria Change
Shakshuka (North African)
North African · North Africa

Shakshuka (North African)

Shakshuka in its North African Moroccan context is a vibrantly spiced tomato, pepper, and chilli sauce in which eggs are poached to order, served directly in the cast iron or terracotta pan with bread for mopping. The Moroccan version differs from the Israeli or Middle Eastern versions through the addition of cumin, harissa, and preserved lemon, and a sauce that is typically more substantial with meat (merguez or ground lamb) — making it a complete meal rather than a light egg preparation. The tomatoes must be fully cooked down until the raw acidity is gone and the sauce is sweet and concentrated; the eggs are placed in depressions in the sauce and the lid applied to steam-poach them to the perfect 'set white, runny yolk' finish. This entry focuses on the Moroccan/North African origin; see also #381 (Sephardic/Mizrahi) and #496 (Global Breakfast) for distinct angles on the same dish.

‹Swipe for the next dish›
Serves4
Total35 min
Within reach2of 6 in Duncan

Two shipped · four elsewhere in British Columbia.

How the 6 are reached
Shipped to you
2 · canned San Marzano DOP tomatoes, firm tofu
Elsewhere in British Columbia
4 · cumin seeds, aleppo pepper, maldon sea salt, bay leaves
Cook
I

The Market List

The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.

400g
Canned San Marzano DOP tomatoes
crushed
Origin · Gustarosso, ItalyShipped to you · Gustiamo →
200g
Firm tofu
block, cubed 2cm
100g
Onion
diced
Your own market
60g
Bell pepper
red, diced
Your own market
40g
Garlic
minced
Your own market
30ml
Extra virgin olive oil
Frantoio
Your own market
20g
Tomato paste
concentrate
Your own market
4g
Tellicherry black pepper
Your own market
1 teaspoon
Paprika
Pimentón de la Vera
Your own market

Within reach counts in town, delivered, shipped and the nearest city. A staple counts once it has a local seller. Charted from each shop's own pages; not yet vouched by a cook who shops here.

The larder of Duncan →

Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.

II

The Method

1
Toast cumin seeds in heavy-bottomed pan for 2 minutes until fragrant; grind coarsely.
2
Heat Frantoio olive oil; sauté onion and bell pepper until softened (6 minutes), then add minced garlic.
3
Stir in tomato paste and ground cumin; cook 2 minutes to caramelize edges.
4
Add crushed San Marzano tomatoes, bay leaves, and Pimentón; simmer 10 minutes to marry flavours.
5
Gently fold in cubed tofu; season with Maldon salt, Tellicherry pepper, and Aleppo pepper.
6
Simmer covered for 8 minutes until tofu absorbs sauce; adjust seasoning and serve warm with crusty bread.
III

Sensory Tests

◇Where it lives or dies. Add a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses at the finish — it adds a sweet-sour depth that is distinctly Middle Eastern and lifts the entire sauce Smoked paprika plus a touch of chipotle gives a North African-leaning complexity without straying from the dish's spirit For a filling protein element without eggs: soft silken tofu pressed into the sauce in the final minutes, or torn strips of firm tofu pan-fried and nestled in
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V

What to Pour

Pouring for British Columbia · ·

The pairing
Bera Asti Spumante DOCG
Bera · Asti DOCG
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Sparkling wine
From British Columbia

Nothing from British Columbia holds against this yet.

Without alcohol

No pour without alcohol holds against this yet.

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The whole pairing
Pillar VI
Origin and lineage are part of membership.
Where the dish comes from and how it came to be — on every recipe.
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