Chocshuka (aka Chocolate Shakshuka)
When Ethel the Goat first came into my life and tempted me with the #capricornchallenge, I was really excited at the prospect of creating some savoury chocolate and goats cheese dishes. When the hamper arrived full of good things, including olive oil, onions, peppers, tomatoes, thyme and goat’s cheese of course, the very first thing I thought about was a chocolate version of Shakshuka.
Shakshuka is a North African dish which is purportedly the precursor to the Spanish Omelette. It’s a dish of onions, peppers and tomatoes topped off with poached eggs and is really delicious. This together with Megadarra, a Middle Eastern rice and lentil dish is a staple in our house, especially if we have friends or family eating with us. I first had it when I was living in Egypt and immediately fell in love. Much as I love it, however, I had never had it with chocolate before – well why not? As goats cheese was the challenge ingredient, I substituted this for the eggs and thus Chocshuka was born.
We ate the shakshuka, scooping it up with ciabatta bread and it was even better than I was hoping. The chocolate added a certain richness and depth, without turning this flavoursome, colourful and inviting dish into the vegetable equivalent of Nile mud.
- 1 red onion - sliced thinly
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large red pepper - deseeded and cut into strips lengthways
- 1 large yellow pepper - deseeded and cut into strips lengthways
- 1 red hot chilli pepper - deseeded and finely chopped (I used lacotto)
- 300g small ripe tomatoes - halved
- 2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 70% dark chocolate - chopped
- 100g soft goat's cheese - sliced (I used Capricorn)
- Prep the ingredients.
- Heat olive oil in a large deep frying pan and threw in the cumin seeds.
- Add the onion and fry gently until soft.
- Add the peppers to the pan and stir.
- Adde the chilli and tomatoes, filled by the garlic and thyme.
- Season with a little salt and pepper and add a splash of water.
- Stir and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Add 25g of chopped 70% dark chocolate and stir until fully incorporated.
- Place the goat's cheese on top and allow to melt a little before serving.
- Serve with bread for a quick meal or rice for something a bit more substantial.
- For a special occasion, increase the quantity and serve with megadarra.
- For a classic version crack a couple of eggs over the top, five minutes before dishing up.
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Tin & Thyme on Tumblr
With the festive season just starting, I’m getting in the mood. Chilling out with a glass of very chilled sherry, as I write my Christmas cards.
A glorious December day watching the boats and birds and listening to the haunting sound of masts and rigging moaning in the wind.
If you thought sherry was just for Christmas, you’d be wrong. I’ve been enjoying it quite a lot recently, cold with plenty of ice and a slice of orange. That’s the new way to serve it, apparently and I heartily approve. In fact the Spanish have been keeping their sherry in the fridge for a long time now - I’m only just catching up.
Chocolate Recipes Galore
manu
2nd November 2012
I’ve got red peppers in my fridge so I can give it a go!!!
Have a great day!
Choclette
9th November 2012
Hope you like it manu. Let me know what you think.
belleau kitchen
2nd November 2012
C, this is AMAZING… you deserve a win with this one, how innovative and delicious… and so elegant. I can imagine the chocolate would make this so lovely and rich… I MUST give this a go.
Choclette
9th November 2012
Thanks Dom, here’s hoping!!!
debby
2nd November 2012
ooh unusual…I love goats cheese omelette but this sounds amazing.
Happy weekend.
debx
Choclette
10th November 2012
Debby, I don’t think I’ve ever tried goats cheese omelette – an omission that must soon be rectified.
Chele
2nd November 2012
Wow – I must have been living under a rock as I’ve never come across the original version. I applude your bold use of chocolate too ;0)
Choclette
10th November 2012
Oh do try it Chele, an original version, it’s truly delicious.
mylittleitaliankitchen
2nd November 2012
this is very original! I love goats cheese too and your omelette looks very inviting!
Choclette
10th November 2012
Thank you Alida, I expect you have something quite similar in Italy.
Fishfingers for tea
2nd November 2012
This sounds really interesting! I’m going to have to give it a go. Also, I think if mu mum sees this she may be knocking at your door, megadarra is one of her favourite things.
Choclette
10th November 2012
Ooh, how exciting, another megadarra fan – it might just be me knocking at your mum’s door! Let me know how you get on if you do make it.
rita cooks italian
4th November 2012
I’ve tried the original recipe with eggs (I LOVE it), now I feel inspired to substitute the eggs with goat cheese and add chocolate…I believe that the result would be rich and creamy. Well done, this is very creative
Choclette
10th November 2012
Thank you Rita, Chakshuka is so delicious. This version makes for a very interesting alternative though, so do let me know how you get on if you do make it.
celia
4th November 2012
What an interesting use of chocolate! I’ve tried a little in savoury dishes, but always 100% unsweetened – good to know the 70% works well too!
Choclette
10th November 2012
Celia, I’d prefer to use 100% unsweetened, but it’s hard to get hold of and very expensive. I do often use 85%, but 70% is fine as it doesn’t have that much sugar in it.
The Caked Crusader
4th November 2012
Oh yum – I can’t even read the words ‘goats cheese’ without salivating – I love the stuff!
Choclette
10th November 2012
You and me both CC. I remember the first time I ever had Goat’s cheese, a time in the dim and distant past, when I thought it was very odd stuff, but now it is a different story all together.
Caroline
4th November 2012
Sounds really interesting. I have to admit I hadn’t really thought of adding chocolate to a med-style dish but this sounds like it would work really well!
Choclette
10th November 2012
It worked as well as I’d hoped it would C, which is to say, very well 😉
franglaiskitchen.com
5th November 2012
This really sounds wonderful. I am bookmarking this for a weekend brunch.
Choclette
10th November 2012
Yes Nazima, this would make a fantastic brunch. It’s really quite simple and if it’s served with really good bread, nothing else is needed.
The KitchenMaid
6th November 2012
Choclette, this is so amazing on so many levels. I love shakshouka, but surely only you could think of introducing a chocolate element! I saw this post a few days ago and have been obsessively thinking about it ever since. Now I just need to be brave enough to try making it…
Choclette
10th November 2012
Lucy, I’ve really enjoyed finding out that other’s eat Shakshouka too. No one I’ve ever served it too has come across it before and it deserves to be better known. The chocolate really does work, it just gives it some extra richness and body which just seems to work – or so we thought anyway 😉
Chris
15th November 2012
That is fabulous! I just recently discovered Shakshouka and now this. Then also with goat’s cheese … what else can I say?! Great!