Green Shakshuka

This shakshuka was inspired by the fresh and delicious flavours found in spanakopita or Greek spinach pie. It’s one of my favourite baked goods that I don’t eat or make nearly as often I would like. It’s loaded with greens, leeks, and fresh herbs and of course feta and there is usually an egg in there too to help bind the filling. That filling sits between layers of buttery phyllo – homemade or store bought and baked until golden. I prefer mine loaded with leeks for the extra flavour they add to the spinach mixture. Transforming those flavours into a green shakshuka has been on my list for a while and I finally got down to doing it. The recipe was one I saved from Clean Eating magazine. I used it as a skeleton to build this green shakshuka into a Greek green shakshuka.

The timing couldn’t actually be more perfect. Shorty after I made and shot it I got the email from Rebecca Bloom about another seasonal recipe collaboration. Rebecca and Ruth are a mother-daughter duo from Square Meal Round Table blog and Annie from What’s Annie Eating blog, and several times a year she hosts an online recipe collaboration. She chooses one seasonal ingredient and invites all the other bloggers to join in and share what they made using that ingredient. This time around it’s leeks! I was so happy to hear that as I had just made this and could be part of it. The last one she hosted I was so busy and the date came and went and I totally missed it. It’s such a fun collaboration and I love seeing the amazing ways people incorporate the ingredient into their recipe, or build their recipes around the ingredient.

You can check out everyone’s contribution on Instagram by checking out the hashtag #leeksonfleek SO cool right?!? Bloggers from all over the world will be joining in on the fun. Ok so back to this recipe. It’s simple, it’s loaded with greens which I love and full of flavour. While the eggs cook the greens develop a slight crust on them adding even more flavour. I love them served up with crusty bread or over toast or even as I have them shown here on a layer of thick Greek yoghurt drizzled with chili oil (my Greekified Version of Turkish eggs - am I allowed to even say that? - heehee). I can never resist sautéed greens - sautéed greens with eggs makes them a full on meal that I love for breakfast and even for a quick dinner. Oh and I know the recipe calls for ¼ cup of crumbled feta but I definitely use more than that so feel free to load up on it if you love feta like I do! Enjoy!

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned, sliced in half and then chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chopped spinach
• 2 tsp chopped fresh dill plus more for garnishing
• ½ tsp chopped fresh oregano, dried alternatively
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp chopped fresh mint
• 2 tbsp of water plus more if needed
• ½ tsp each salt and pepper
• 4 large eggs
• ¼ cup of crumbled feta

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion and leeks, cook stirring occasionally until translucent 3-4 min. Then add the garlic and cook stirring for another minute.
2. Add all the spinach and all the herbs along with the water and salt and pepper cook stirring often until the spinach is wilted and tender (approx 2min), if it becomes too dry, feel free to add another tablespoon of water.
3. Using the back of a spoon make four indentations or wells in the spinach mixture and then gently crack open an egg into each well. Cover the pan with lid and cook until the egg whites are set and yolks are still runny, approx 5-6 min.
4. Cook for a little longer if you want firmer yolks. Garnish with fresh dill and serve warm with crumbled feta over top