Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Lamb Sausage (Moroccan Shakshuka)

Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern-inspired dish made of onions, roasted peppers, tomatoes, and a myriad of spices, topped with a spicy African lamb sausage known as merguez and runny baked eggs. Merguez sausage is a distinctly spiced Moroccan sausage made of lamb that can be found in specialty food markets. If you cannot find merguez in your area, use whatever sausage suits your taste, but I particularly like Spanish chorizo. Harissa is a fiery condiment found on most North African tables and is used to spice up dishes to suit your palate.

Lamb Sausage:
1½ tsp. coriander seed, dry toasted
1½ tsp. cumin seed, dry toasted
1½ tsp. anise seed or fennel seed, dry toasted
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cayenne
1 tsp. ground turmeric
½ lb ground lamb sausage
1 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp. harissa
½ Tbsp. tomato paste
¼ tsp. sea salt

Shakshuka:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 green bell peppers, roasted and thinly sliced vertically
2 red bell peppers, roasted and thinly sliced vertically
¾ tsp. ground paprika
¾ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 small bay leaf
1 cup whole canned plum tomatoes with juice
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
4 large eggs

To Serve:
1 loaf French bread, sliced, slathered with olive oil or butter and grilled (or toasted if you don't have a grill)

For the Spiced Lamb Sausage:
Begin by toasting the coriander, cumin, and anise (or fennel) seeds in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. If you notice it start to smoke, remove from heat. Combine toasted spices, along with the cinnamon, cayenne, and turmeric using a mortar and pestle. Set aside ½ Tbsp. for the sausage and then store the rest in a spice jar for future use.

Place the spice mixture and all of the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together gently, using your hands.

Form a patty and cook on a skillet to test seasoning. Adjust seasoning as you see fit. Once you've got the seasoning where you want it, form small patties, about the diameter of a golf ball with the meat. Cover and refrigerate while you begin the shakshuka.

For the Shakshuka:
Begin by roasting the bell peppers. Place each pepper in the middle of a gas burner, turn the flame to high, and let it get all black and charred on the outside. Use a pair of tongs to rotate it as you go so that each side (besides the top, which has the stem) is evenly charred. Once it's mostly blackened, place it directly into a paper bag for 10-15 minutes. This loosens the skin. A Ziploc bag will also work, but I personally try to avoid combining heat and plastic when I cook. Remove from the bag and peel off the outer layer of the pepper. Chop the top off of the pepper, slice it into thin strips, and de-seed the pepper using a knife.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium until onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the green and red peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add paprika, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C/184°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Add the tomatoes to the skillet, breaking them up with a wooden spoon as you stir them into the mix. Add the raw lamb sausage patties (if using - for a vegetarian option you can omit) to the mixture, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to cook down, about 15-20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper to your taste preferences.

Crack the eggs over the sauce, making sure they are evenly distributed across the surface and not piled on top of one another. Be careful not to break the yolks. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the egg whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 5-8 minutes.

Serve with crusty French bread, grilled on an open flame or toasted.

Cook's Notes: If you're worried about breaking the yolks, crack them into a small bowl or glass first and then pour them into the shakshuka, gently, one at a time.