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Sarah Copeland

Green Shakshuka with Avocado and Lime

This easy twist on classic North African shakshuka (traditionally eggs baked in tomato-pepper sauce, with cumin, paprika and cayenne) starts with a mixture of onion, garlic and chard sautéed until gently wilted: a nest of sorts for steam-poaching eggs. Once the eggs go in, be sure to keep the flame low and the pan covered so the eggs stay soft and almost oozy at their yolk. The chard and the half-and-half create a sort of light broth at the bottom of the shakshuka, which holds so much flavor and is one of the dish’s charms. Lastly, be daring with smoked hot sauce at the end: It’ll push the creamy avocado, cheese and eggs to their peak.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 large bunch/1½ pounds Swiss chard stems and leaves separated and chopped
  • kosher salt such as Diamond Crystal
  • ⅓ cup half-and-half or heavy cream
  • 8 large eggs
  • black pepper
  • 3 ounces Cotija cheese or queso fresco crumbled (about ¾ cup)
  • 1 ripe Hass avocado sliced
  • 1 small jalapeño thinly sliced chopped fresh cilantro Smoked hot sauce, for serving
  • corn tortillas toasted, for serving lime wedges, for serving

Method
 

  1. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until softening, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 5 minutes more.
  2. Increase heat to medium-high, add the chard stems and cook to release some liquid, 5 minutes. Add the chard leaves, in batches, adding more as they wilt, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until completely wilted, 3 to 5 minutes more. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, pour in the half-and-half and stir loosely together.
  3. With the back of a spoon, make eight small hollows in the cooked chard. Gently crack an egg into each hollow. Cover with a lid or foil (see Tip) and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until the eggs are just set but still soft, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the lid and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter the Cotija, avocado, jalapeño and cilantro over top. Serve with smoked hot sauce, toasted tortillas and lime wedges.

Notes

Some cast-iron skillets come with a matching lid, which is useful for making the skillet operate a bit like a mini stovetop oven, cooking evenly and basting the food with flavor and steam. If you don’t have one, use a lid from another pan, or two layers of thick foil large enough to cover your pan.