Green Shakshuka with Tomatillos

Green shakshuka baked egg dish with tomatillos and healthy super greens topped with avocado and jalapeño for a savory but spicy meal.

This green shakshuka recipe came as a request slash challenge. Someone asked us to figure out green shakshuka that wasn't basically creamed spinach with egg on top. I think most people when they hear 'green shakshuka' think of actual greens, when in fact true shakshuka is tomato based. So meanwhile our brains went to 'tomatillo': the more tart, less watery cousin of the tomato that you often see in central American cuisine. We paired it with a handful of greens and topped it with a ton of good stuff: avocado, jalapeńo, cojita cheese, cilantro and yes... we soft boiled the eggs instead of baking them because Chris "does not do" undercooked egg white (except in a cocktail so do with that what you will). 

The most important part of building this recipe for us was replicating the taste and texture of shakshuka. It still has that spiced undertone paired with heat spice and thanks to the cojita cheese and avocado it has a creamy element without the creamed spinach that many people end up doing for a green shakshuka. This is actually a very produce dense, healthy breakfast (depending on how much baguette you have...). As you'll see from the recipe below it's allllllll produce until you stir in the cheese. So each bite is basically salad. Basically. But the best part is the cravings markers it hits for me: a little cheesy, a touch of spice, and a bit of bread. 

Green Tomatillo Shakshuka

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow or white sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large green bell pepper, de-seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 Tablesppon minced garlic
• 4 cups chopped tomatillos
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 Tablespoons chicken stock or water
• 1/4 cup crumbled cojita cheese
• 2 cups baby supper greens, chiffonaded 
• 4 eggs
• fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado
• 1 small jalapeño pepper
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• baguette to serve

DIRECTIONS

1. In a 10 inch cast iron skillet, add oil over medium heat on the stove. As oil heats, thinly slice onion and bell pepper. Prepare tomatillos and chop during following onion/pepper cook time.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F.
3. Add onion to oil on stove top and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Add bell pepper slices, stir and cook for 3 minutes. 
5. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
6. Add tomatillos and spices. Stir.
7. Add water (you can add more or less depending on how much liquid your tomatillos contain), stir and cover over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Stir and lightly mash occasionally.
8. Turn heat to medium high and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes uncovered. Tomatillos should be soft and there should be a small amount of liquid in the mix. 
9. Add greens and cojita cheese. Fold into tomatillo mix. 
10. Place cast iron skillet in the oven for 10 minutes. 
11. Prepare soft boiled eggs. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Carefully add eggs.
12. Cook 6 1/2 minutes then place eggs in ice bath for 1-2 minutes. Peel eggs.
13. Remove cast iron skillet from oven. Cut eggs in half (yolk will be runny so work quickly so it doesn't spill out) and place on shakshuka yolk side up.
14. Add sliced avocado, thinly sliced jalapeño with seeds removed, fresh cilantro and extra cojita. 
15. Season with salt and pepper.
16. Serve with toasted baguette.