After a few camping trips, the last thing I want for dinner is another boring hot dog, but I would rather spend my precious time exploring the outdoors than prepping a meal or washing dishes. We’ve all been there!
To solve this dilemma, Megan McDuffie and her boyfriend Michael Van Vliet created Fresh Off the Grid, a camp cooking blog featuring easy food & drink recipes to prepare in the outdoors.
As the couple prepares to hit the road on a cross-country journey next month, I asked them to share one of their favorite camp meals. Check out the recipe below, then head over to FreshOffTheGrid.com for more delicious recipes and inspiration!
Shakshuka (pronounced shahk-SHOO-kah, for inquiring minds) is one of those dishes of which many cultures have their own variation (Mexico’s huevos rancheros, Italy’s eggs in purgatory, and Andalusia’s huevos flamenca are dishes reminiscent of shakshuka), and nearly every North African and Middle Eastern country to this day insist that shakshuka is “theirs.” While it seems that Tunisia is likely the originator of this dish, it also appears that Libya, Yemen, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Israel all want to stake their claim on shakshuka as well. It makes sense: this dish is cheap, easy, hearty, and above all: delicious. All reasons as to why shakshuka is an excellent camping meal as well.
This meal is great for both breakfast and dinner. The number of eggs you use depends on the size of your pot, as well as your desired serving size. I’d recommend at least one egg per person for breakfast, or two eggs per person for dinner. Take care when cracking the eggs directly into the sauce – the shells are a pain to try to pick out. If you prefer, crack each egg into a bowl and then slip them into the sauce one by one. We chose to use poblano peppers in our version, because they are pretty middle of the road in terms of heat. If you want a milder shakshuka, you can use red bell peppers. If you’re a fan of spicier food, you could use (or add) a jalapeno or two.
Shakshuka
Serves 2 | Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2-4 eggs
- ¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled
- ½ loaf crusty French bread
- salt & pepper
Directions
Heat butter in your pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the poblano peppers and onions, stir to coat, and cook for 5 minutes or until beginning to brown, stirring as needed. Add the garlic, cumin, and paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with ½ cup water. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken.
Crack the eggs into the sauce, spacing them evenly apart. Cover and allow the eggs to cook until the whites have set and the yolk is to your prefered consistency, 5-7 minutes. You can spoon the sauce over the top as needed to encourage them to cook thoroughly.
Season to taste. Serve immediately with goat cheese and a few slices of crusty French bread.
For more inspiration, visit FreshOffTheGrid.com, and follow Megan and Michael’s adventures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Photos & Recipe © 2015 Fresh Off the Grid
