When chef John Gorham put shakshuka on the menu at Portland’s Tasty n Sons when it opened in 2010, the dish was virtually unknown in the United States. You might spot this breakfast entree of poached eggs nestled in a savory, not-too-spicy tomato-pepper stew at an Israeli or Middle Eastern restaurant, but shakshuka was far from a weekend brunch staple.
“I thought we were pushing it,” he recalls thinking when his business partner, Israel-born Ron Avni, urged him to add it to the menu.
Dishes such as shakshuka and Burmese pork stew turned the typical eggs-potato-toast formula on its head – and put Tasty n Sons on the map.
“We really were trying to disrupt the whole brunch market,” Gorham says.
Now the colorful dish, which originated in Tunisia before spreading across the Middle East, has become a Bay Area brunch darling. You’ll find a harissa-spiked version at Berkeley’s Revival Bar and Kitchen, for example, and a shakshuka fortified with chickpeas at Oakland’s Shakewell. There’s even a green shakshuka, made with eggs baked in creamed kale – a flirtation with eggs Florentine – at Oren’s Hummus Shop in Mountain View.
I was dipping a hunk of bread into the shakshuka at Tasty n Sons recently, soaking up the spicy-sweet stew and yolks like liquefied sunshine, when it occurred to me that this dish would be so easy to make at home. It’s high time to disrupt my own brunch routine.
With shakshuka as a starting point, I set out to find other brunch recipes that glorify eggs, are easy to make ahead and appeal to everyone, including gluten-free guests. And there’s no better time than late summer to stir up a batch of shakshuka, while tomatoes and bell peppers are abundant.
“You get that brighter, fresher out-of-the-garden stew, which is amazing,” says Gorham, who makes a version at home with produce from his Portland garden. At the restaurant, he relies on quality stewed canned tomatoes and roasted peppers, a recipe that’s featured in his new cookbook, the just-published “Hello! My Name is Tasty: Global Diner Favorites from Portland’s Tasty Restaurants” (Sasquatch Books, $30). Whichever version appeals, Gorham advises that you make a lot of it.
“In a bigger batch, you have more liquids to reduce down and get more depth of flavor,” he says.
Freeze it in pints and pull it out all year long for a quick and easy brunch, especially in winter when the spicy stew really hits the spot. Merguez sausage or feta are common additions to the dish. Serve it with loaves of crusty bread for dipping, either grilled or fresh, along with olives and hummus.
Vegetables also figure prominently in kuku sabzi, a Persian dish similar to a frittata that Berkeley-based chef and author Samin Nosrat calls “insanely healthy.”
The recipe in her best-selling new cookbook, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking” (Simon & Schuster, $35), is packed full of greens and herbs, ideal for a virtuous post-workout Sunday brunch with hiking buddies.
“Push yourself when you’re making it,” she says. “You should be a little bit scared about how much green you’re fitting in. And chop them more finely than you think.”
To minimize work in the morning, Nosrat, a Chez Panisse alum, recommends prepping and cooking the greens the day before and refrigerating them overnight. In the morning, mix in the eggs and cook it. Kuku sabzi can be served warm, at room temperature or even cold, which means there’s no stress about keeping the dish warm on a brunch buffet. Nosrat likes to serve it with walnuts, feta and sour pickled vegetables that complement the sweetness of the cooked greens.
The recipe calls for frying in a good amount of butter and olive oil to give the kuku a delectable brown crust and keep it from sticking to the pan; Nosrat notes that the excess fat is poured off after cooking.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is a decadent sausage, egg and grits souffle from Southern Living and Today Show contributor Elizabeth Heiskell, whose new cookbook, “What Can I Bring? Southern Food For Any Occasion Life Serves Up” (Southern Living, $30) comes out later this fall.
“That recipe is fantastic because you can make it the night before,” she says. “You can put it in the oven, and (you) don’t have to worry about it, while you’re trying to fluff pillows and polish silver.”
The souffle contains a good amount of cheese because, as Heiskell puts it, a Southerner “wouldn’t consider it a brunch if you didn’t have cheese grits.”
Pair the casserole with Bloody Marys, biscuits and her recipe for a cola-glazed ham for a sumptuous game-day spread that’s perfect when an early morning kickoff dictates a watch-party brunch instead of a barbecue.
Armed with these easy recipes, brunch at home becomes deliciously doable.
Tasty n Sons’ Shakshuka with Baked Eggs
Serves 6 to 8Note: This recipe, which can be prepared in one large, stainless steel pan or individual ramekins, make 21/2 quarts of the tomato-based shakshuka sauce. Don’t fret over the quantity: It freezes well.
Ingredients11/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium sweet onions, julienned
12 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar1 tablespoon ground piment d’Espelette
11/2 teaspoons ground pimenton de la Vera (sweet paprika)
11/2 teaspoons ground paprika2 bay leaves
1 quart canned stewed whole plum tomatoes with liquid
1 quart red bell peppers (about 8 medium), roasted and julienned
2 cups green bell peppers (about 5 medium), roasted and julienned
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 large eggs1 loaf rustic bread, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
INSTRUCTIONSIn a large, heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot set over medium heat, add 1 cup of the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic for 10 to 12 minutes, or until translucent.
Add the sugar, piment, pimenton, paprika and bay leaves and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the flavor and scent of the spices bloom.
Add the tomatoes and bell peppers and simmer slowly, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Divide the hot shakshuka mixture evenly among six to eight shallow ovenproof containers. (Tasty n Sons uses cazuelas, but any ramekin-type dish will work). Make a nest for each egg in the stew, crack the eggs into the hollows, and season with salt and pepper.
Place the ramekins in the oven and check them every 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them once the egg whites have set. Pierce the whites with a spoon to test for doneness.
While the shakshuka is baking, drizzle the sliced bread on both sides with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, season with salt and pepper on both sides and toast, grill or bake at 400 degrees until the slices are nicely toasted. Serve with the shakshuka.
– From “Hello! My Name is Tasty: Global Diner Favorites from Portland’s Tasty Restaurants” by John Gorham and Liz Crain (Sasquatch Books, 2017, $29.95)
Persian Herb and Greens Frittata (Kuku Sabzi)
Serves 6 to 8Note: To make prep easier, cook the greens, leeks, and chard stems the day before and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.
Ingredients2 bunches green chard or other tender greens, washed
1 large leekExtra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 cups finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
2 cups finely chopped dill leaves and tender stems
8 or 9 large eggs1 cup lightly toasted and chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup barberries (optional)INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 350.Strip the chard leaves: Gripping at the base of each stem with one hand, pinch the stem with the other hand and pull upward to strip the leaf. Repeat with the remaining chard, reserving the stems.
Remove the root and top inch of the leek, then quarter it lengthwise. Cut each quarter into 1/4-inch slices, place in a large bowl and wash vigorously to remove dirt. Drain as much water as possible.
Thinly slice the chard stems, discarding any tough bits and the base. Add to the leeks and set aside.
Gently heat a 10 or 12-inch cast iron pan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chard leaves and season with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove chard and set aside to cool.
Return the pan to the stove and heat over a medium flame. Add 3 tablespoons butter. When the butter begins to foam, add the sliced leeks and chard stems, along with a pinch of salt. Cook until tender and translucent, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir from time to time; if needed, add a splash of water, reduce the flame, or cover with a lid or a piece of parchment paper to entrap steam and keep color from developing.
Meanwhile, squeeze the cooked chard leaves dry, then chop coarsely. Combine in a large bowl with the cilantro and dill. When the leeks and chard stems are cooked, add them to the greens. Let the mixture cool a bit, then use your hands to mix everything evenly. Taste and season generously with salt.
Add the eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is just barely bound with egg. You might not need to use all 9 eggs, depending on how wet your greens were and how large your eggs are. Taste and adjust the mixture for seasoning. If using, add the walnuts and/or barberries to the mixture and stir to combine.
Wipe out and reheat pan over medium-high heat – this is an important step to keep the kuku from sticking -and add 3 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil, then stir to combine. When the butter begins to foam, carefully pack the kuku mixture into the pan.
To help it cook evenly, during the first few minutes of cooking, use a rubber spatula to gently pull the edges of the mixture into the center as they set. After about 2 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and let the kuku cook without touching it. You’ll know the pan is hot enough as long as the oil is gently bubbling up the sides.
Peek at the crust by lifting with a rubber spatula. If it’s getting too dark, reduce the heat. Rotate the pan a quarter turn every 3 to 4 minutes to ensure even browning. After about 10 minutes, when the mixture is set and no longer runny and the bottom is golden brown, slip the pan into the oven and bake until the center is fully set, 10-12 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick or shake the pan and look for a slight jiggle at the top. When it’s done, carefully flip it onto a plate. Blot away excess oil. Eat warm, at room temperature or cold.
– From Samin Nosrat’s “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” (Simon & Schuster, 2017; $35)
Sausage, Egg and Grits Souffle
Serves 10Note: This can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated before baking. Like a souffle, it will deflate shortly after it comes out of the oven, so if you’re taking it somewhere, bake it at your destination.
Ingredients1 pound hot ground pork sausage
1 cup quick cooking grits2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 8 ounces), divided
2 ounces salted butter7 large eggs beaten
11/2 cups whole milk1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepperINSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
In a large skillet set over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned, stirring until crumbled and no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
Cook the grits in a Dutch oven according to the package directions. Stir in 11/2 cups cheese. Add the butter, stirring until the cheese and butter melt.
In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Slowly stir the egg mixture into the grits. Stir in the sausage.
Transfer the grits mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake until golden brown, puffed and set, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes more.
– From Elizabeth Heiskell’s forthcoming “What Can I Bring? Southern Food for Any Occasion Life Cooks Up” (Southern Living, 2017, 272 pages)
