Travel for me is often about the food first, then comes the fishing or hunting or summiting a mountain peak. But there’s so much more to food than just eating it. It’s the story behind the food; the roots, the culture, the science, that are so exciting.
On a recent trip to Israel I learned it was surely a food lover’s paradise, but with each bite something new was discovered, and the locals were always more than happy to share their secrets. Each day before setting out to fill my soul with amazing history, I ate shakshuka for breakfast. The first thing I did when I got home was to adapt the recipe using fresh caught steelhead. It worked, and the whole family loved it!
Steelhead Shakshuka
- 1/2-3/4 pound steelhead fillet
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 2 cups greens, finely chopped (kale, chard and/or spinach) • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup chives, sliced
- 4 eggs
- Additional parsley and chives for garnish
Remove skin and pin bones from steelhead fillet. Slice into 1” strips. In a large, heavy skillet heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, leeks, greens and parsley and saute an additional 7-10 minutes. Add tomatoes, spices and chives and continue to saute a few more minutes. There should be a few tablespoons of liquid in the pan, if not, add 2 tablespoons of water. Move the vegetable mixture around to make four “wells” in the pan. Crack an egg in each well. Nestle steelhead strips around outside of vegetables that are around each eggs. Cover and turn to low heat. Shakshuka is done when both the eggs and the fish reach desired doneness. Fish should reach at least 135º. If you prefer eggs softer, add them after the fish. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and chives if desired.
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