A box like this week’s has me thinking “shakshuka.” (With the most tomatoes in one box that I think I’ve seen all year.) And I’m amazed to see I’ve never posted a recipe for this versatile dish – baked eggs cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. So look below for a recipe adapted from one at from feelgoodfoodie.net. This one is actually pretty basic – so add hot pepper flakes or other forms of heat as your household prefers.
It also has me thinking of making Judith Winfrey’s Yellow Squash with Tomatoes and Parmesan (could not be easier and Judith is the president of Peach Dish along with being the co-owner of Love is Love Farm). And then ….. I’m thinking slow cooker.
Last week I turned all those turnip greens and the big head of bok choy into Creamed Greens. It was so simple and that large slow cooker full of greens cooked down with no attention from me, taking about two hours to go from shredded greens to luscious. It was a hit during the dinner party I gave Friday and then leftovers topped baked potatoes the following day for an easy dinner. It put me in the mood for other slow cooker dishes – and I’m sharing this enchilada casserole recipe. It’s got canned enchilada sauce and, yes, boxed corn muffin mix. Don’t judge. But feel free to substitute your own favorite recipe for corn bread as the topping. It’s been a big hit every time I’ve served it.
Butternut Enchilada Casserole
2 cups peeled and chopped butternut squash or acorn squash
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped sweet pepper
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chile peppers, undrained
1/2 cup salsa
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix
1 cup shredded pepper jack
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sour cream
Snipped fresh cilantro
In a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine squash, hominy, black beans, onion, sweet pepper, chile peppers, salsa, garlic, and salt. Pour enchilada sauce over mixture in cooker.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.
For dumplings, in a medium bowl stir together corn muffin mix, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the milk, and egg just until combined.
If using low-heat setting, turn cooker to high-heat setting. Stir squash mixture. Spoon dumpling dough by tablespoons into four to six mounds on top of mixture in cooker, spacing mounds evenly. Cover and cook about 50 minutes more or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of dumplings comes out clean. (Do not lift cover during cooking.)
Sprinkle dumplings with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Turn off cooker. If possible, remove crockery liner from cooker. Let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with cilantro.
Shakshuka
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Crusty bread for serving
Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook for about 10 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add tomatoes, cumin, paprika and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the tomato sauce thickens like a stew, about 10-15 minutes.
Create 6 small nests in the tomato stew. Gently crack the eggs into the skillet over the tomatoes in the nests formed. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet, and cook until the egg whites have set, about 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with crusty bread or pita.