I

 say this a lot but what a dish. A new favourite. Please make it. Breakfast, lunch or dinner appropriate. It thus needs little said about it (added to the fact I was back at work today after a two week holiday and I’m feeling a bit tired for “words”). I love shakshuka but I also love my greens. This combination of sweet, slowly cooked leeks, fresh crisp pea crunch and subtle spice and chilli in the background is such a comforting mix. Topped classically with feta and unclassically with dill and sumac. Ottolenghi would be proud. Luckily since I’ve detoured from his new book on this one.

Its my Mum’s birthday today so I cooked with her in mind as I often do as she is ultimately where I learnt my craft. This weekend I will return home for birthday hugs and to cook her a birthday meal. She today requested my previous post – Salmon & Salsa. However, perhaps this will be not he menu after tonight?

Serve with your preference of bread. Toasted pitta, flatbreads, warm sourdough chunks…anything to scoop up those gooey yolks.

Serves 2 (greedily for dinner, 4 for brunch with bread)

• 4 spring onions, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 1-2 green chillis, sliced
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 leeks, sliced thinly
• 150g “ish” spinach leaves (this was a guess…it was just enough to fill my pan!)
• 100g peas (frozen, blanched in hot water)
• 4 free range eggs
• 1/2 packet feta cheese
• 1 lemon, zest (wedges for serving)
• 1 small handful coriander, leaves chopped finely
• 1 small handful dill, chopped finely
• Sumac to serve
• Pita/flatbreads/toasted chunky bread to serve for “scooping”

1. heat a large fry pan and toast the cumin and coriander seeds for a few minutes until fragrant. Remove from the pan and crush in a pestle and mortar. Set aside.
2. Heat some olive/sunflower/rapeseed oil in a large frying pan (never extra virgin oil! Do not cook with this ever, a post to follow on this). Add the spring onions and soften for a few minutes. Add the garlic and chilli and fry gently careful not to catch/burn the garlic.
3. Add the cumin and coriander mix. Stir to combine.
4. Add the chopped leeks and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to a gentle temperature and let the leeks soften down for about 10-15 minutes until beginning to caramelise. Add a lid if you like to help them along.
5. Add the spinach leaves and toss with the leeks and allow these to wilt with the heat. Add the peas.
6. When the spinach is wilted, make 4 wells inside the mixture. Crack your eggs carefully into each well and reduce the heat a little. Eggs need long and slow cooking! Season the eggs and then let them gently cook. Cover with a lid or foil towards the end to help the whites along their way.
7. Whilst the eggs cook, get all your garnish ready if you haven’t already so you can serve immeidaelyy.
8. The eggs are ready when the whites are just beginning to set on top and the yolks are still runny. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle over the coriander, dill, lemon zest, feta and finally a pinch of sumac over each yolk.
9. Serve immediately with your warm bread and a wedge of lemon!

Gooey, runny, sumac and dill sprinkled yolks. Food porn.