Fuss Free Chachouka with Maneesh

Gardening to me is a metaphor for life and finally this week I starting growing something other than weeds on my allotment! I love how seasons bring new opportunities for starting afresh, witnessing growth and reaping what you sow.

Like the relationship with ourselves through life, over time, with effort and nurturing we can grow and thrive.  But starve ourselves of that time, space, energy and nurturing can hold us back. Happily, we can breath new life into our relationship with ourselves at any point and we can flourish and blossom in a new way that maybe we didn’t contemplate before.

I feel like a different person to the one I was 6 months ago.  I reached a point of change as my youngest started school and this has created room for me to grow and evolve.  If you’d have told me then I’d be talking about food on local BBC radio back then, I would’ve been excited but a bit surprised! But that happened for the first time yesterday (Listen here!)

If we create a little space for ourselves, what will grow there in its place? If we nurture ourselves a little more, what will blossom?  It’s exciting to think that at any stage in our lives, we can evolve a little more.  I used to think it was about learning more information and taking more courses.  I have since realised that actually, the answers that I require are already within me, I just need to take a little time, space to feel what the answer is and peel back the layers.

This recipe is for when you are not having so much space or time but want a fuss-free delicious meal!  It’s a brilliant egg dish elevated to dinner status. It goes really well with a sourdough loaf or if time allows, why not try making this relatively quick flatbread called Maneesh with Za’atar spices.  I’ll post a video next week how to make it for #realbreadweek. So remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel and each time I upload a new one you’ll hear about it!

Thank you all of those who supported and listened to the broadcast the show this week…I was truly grateful and glad you were there to experience it with me! Lisa

Chachouka

Serves 2 for dinner

Preheat the oven to 180℃/Gas mark 4

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 large onion, halved and finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and finely sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, cored, deseeded and finely sliced
• 1/2 tsp hot, smoked paprika
• Pinch of saffron strands
• 400g tin of plum tomatoes, chopped roughly
• 4 eggs
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large, preferably ovenproof pan on a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and gently fry for a couple of minutes. Add the onions and fry gently for 8-10 minutes, until soft and golden.
2. Add the garlic and peppers and continue to cook on a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often until the peppers are soft and wilted.
3. Add the paprika, crumble in the saffron and add the tin of tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time.
4. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary, if not using an oven proof pan, transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Make 4 hollows in the mixture and carefully break an egg into each one. Sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the egg white, is set and the yolk is still runny. This recipe is from River Cottage Everyday