How do you like your eggs?
Everyone has a particular way in which they prefer their eggs. Those of us who like eggs in more than one way, make that determination based on what we are in the mood for – baked, boiled, fried, scrambled, over easy, sunny side up, poached, etc. And then there are those egg fry ups that are full wholesome main dishes, like Mexican scrambled eggs, Chinese tomato and eggs stir fry, and Shakshuka (a North African dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic). In Guyana, we are known to make a particular fry up of eggs with onions, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. It’s a meal in itself that goes well with hot white rice, roti, bakes or bread. The Fiery Eggs I am sharing today draws inspiration from all the above-mentioned egg dishes.
I call it Fiery Eggs because of the deep red colour from the tomatoes and the heat from the hot peppers mixed in. When I cook eggs like this I prefer to have them atop thick-sliced homemade artisan bread that’s been toasted and rubbed with a cut piece of garlic, for flavour. This dish, though simple, takes a little time to prepare. You see, the tomatoes have to be cooked down slowly until they mash and melt easily when pressed with the back of a spoon, and that process can take as much as 15 minutes or a few minutes longer. After that, I painstakingly remove every piece of tomato skin before continuing with the dish. However, once that stage is over the rest of the cook is quick and easy.
Wondering what to eat a day during this past week, I made these Fiery Eggs and realised that I had never shared it with you. Honestly, I think I didn’t because I figured, what’s the big deal, but, as I ate, I could not help thinking how good the eggs tasted, and that someone out there could make this for a meal, for themselves (just like I did), or their family by adding more ingredients.
Unlike our egg fry up which is dry, these Fiery Eggs get tenderness from the thick savoury sauce that coats the gently cooked egg whites and yolks that are still runny. Together, when mixed, everything gets cooked with the residual heat of the tomato sauce.
This dish of eggs is good at any time – breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea or dinner. I would recommend that if you are making it as your main meal for the day, use 3 instead of 2 eggs for a good protein intake.
Here’s what you need and how to make it.
You need fresh, ripe tomatoes. Sorry folks, no form of canned tomatoes – chopped, diced, stewed, whole or sauce. It’s the natural umami flavour of fresh tomatoes that makes this dish stand out, so no cutting corners.
The other star of this dish is eggs. Bring them up to room temperature. Adding them cold directly from the fridge will alter the texture when cooked.
The other ingredients are scallions/green onions, minced hot pepper, salt and fresh coarsely ground black pepper (to taste). Oh you’ll need some neutral oil to get things going. If you must, use Olive oil, but bear in mind that that is a flavoured oil and will contribute to the overall flavour of the dish.
Get a frying pan and cover the bottom with a thin film of oil.
Cut the tomatoes into small chunks and add them to the frying pan in an even layer. Scatter the minced hot peppers over the tomatoes and season everything with salt and pepper (don’t worry, you will check for correct seasoning once the sauce is made). Meanwhile, cut the scallions/green onions thinly – white/purple and green parts and set aside.
Add the cold pan with the tomatoes to the stove over medium heat and let heat up until you start to see bubbles and there is a gentle sizzle. Let cook for 1 minute then reduce the heat very low and let cook untouched for 12 – 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and mash easily when pressed with the back of a spoon. Do not raise the heat to rush this process. This is about a cooking technique that will render a particular flavour and texture.
Once the tomatoes are softened and mashed (you can leave the skins in or remove them if you like), stir the sauce well and taste for seasoning, adjust to suit by adding more salt or pepper if needed. Turn the heat to medium-low and make 2 or 3 spaces in the sauce to which you will add the eggs.
Crack and add the eggs to each pocket of space created. Sprinkle the green onions/scallions over the eggs and let cook on medium-low for 1 – 2 minutes then reduce the heat to low and cook until the whites are gently cooked and the yolks still runny.
With the heat on low, break up the eggs and mix them gently with the sauce. As you mix, the eggs will finish cooking. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the eggs to a serving plate.
Tuck in and enjoy.
Cynthia
cynthia@tasteslikehome.org
