I love finding little surprises. For instance, the other day, I found $20 in the pocket of my shorts. YES! That’s one cold brew coffee and a yoga class right there.
Yesterday, as I was heading to the my usual farmers’ market, I noticed a separate cluster of tents 2 blocks away from the main market. I had never seen those tents before, and I thought it was a bit strange that only Asian people seemed to be flocking over there. To my pleasant surprise, it was a tiny area filled with Asian sellers! It was crowded, and everyone kept pushing me from behind, while I was minding my business picking my greens. I could hear other shoppers speaking the same rural Chinese dialect that my family speaks. It felt as if I was shopping in San Francisco’s Chinatown on a weekend. I was right at home.
I bought these beautiful tomatoes from one of the sellers and decided to make a braised egg dish that is a riff off of the classic eggs in purgatory. Instead of braising the eggs in a tomato sauce, I made a quick vegetable sauté and dropped a few eggs just for the hell of it. To give the dish extra flair, I sprinkled in some sumac and ras el hanout (a North African spice). The whole dish meal came together very easily and the flavors were phenomenal! If you’re wondering where to get sumac and ras el hanout, Trader Joe’s sells a pretty inexpensive spice tower called “The Spice Route” that includes those spices.
Okay, enough talk. Let’s dig in!
MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES
- Cooking the Perfect Eggs: We all want those perfect sunny side up eggs. However, if you simply crack the egg into the pan and cover the skillet, your eggs may turn cloudy. I learned that the hard way. I’ve come up with a neat trick to fix that! When cracking the eggs, I separate the yolk from the whites. I drop all the whites onto the skillet first, then the egg yolk. Then, I finish cooking the eggs by covering the skillet with a glass lid. I constantly check the eggs to make sure that I turn off the heat right when the egg whites settle.
20-Minute Braised Egg Breakfast
Ingredients
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped red onions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (75g) fresh corn kernels (frozen works also)
- 1 cup (30g) kale, chopped
- 1 cup (220g) tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 tsp sumac
- 1/2 tsp ras el hanout
- 4 large eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
- chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet or frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add onions and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and a pinch of salt and sauté for 30 seconds. Add corn and kale. When the kale has started to wilt, add tomatoes, and cook for a minute or two. Stir in the sumac and ras el hanout. You can also substitute these spices for whatever spices you have on hand.
- Move the vegetables in the pan to create 4 wells for the eggs. Crack an egg into each well. Reduce heat to low and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook the eggs until the whites are set, about 4 to 5 minutes. Check the eggs constantly to make sure that you don’t overcook them. If you want sunny side up eggs, you can separate the egg whites from the yolk when you crack the egg. Drop the egg whites in one of the wells on the pan. Next, add the yolk on top immediately afterwards.
- Turn off the heat. Add more salt and pepper if you like. Serve with a side of potatoes or bread.
Notes
Sydney | Modern Granola says
Oh, I love your trick! I can’t wait to try separating the yolks next time. This looks so perfect and yummy! I love that you used sumac and ras el hanout. Those two spices make everything delicious!
xx Sydney
Lisa says
Thanks, Sydney!! Let me know if you try that trick with any dish you make!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
I love your choice of seasoning. When I read that line about the sumac and ras el hanout I lit up with delight! Sounds so savory and delicious!
Lisa says
Thanks, Katie!
Karole Grace says
It time I’ve seen a recipe from you. Love it! Can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
Lisa says
Thank you, Karole!
Melanie @ Nutritious Eats says
Well I was just admiring your yolks- thanks for the tip! Love dishes like this- eggs + vegetables = one of my favorite breakfasts for sure. And those tomatoes are just gorgeous!!
Lisa says
Thanks, Melanie! I’ve totally become an eggs + vegetables breakfast person lately, too!
Raia says
Looks delicious! Your photos are beautiful. 🙂
Lisa says
Thank you so much, Raia!
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious says
I love eggs in purgatory and Shakshuka and this looks just up my alley! I find sunny side up eggs such a challenge. Can’t wait to try this technique of yours. Do you add the yolk immediately after the whites or wait for the whites to set a little?
Lisa says
Thanks, Jessica! I put the yolks immediately after I put the whites. I’m going to edit my instructions to make that more clear. Thanks for pointing that out to me!
Leslie @ flora foodie says
I never thought to separate the egg whites out first!!!! That’s brilliant. I have cloudy egg yolks for breakfast so many mornings 😉 Love love love the tip! And my farmer’s market is a couple blocks from a big Asian farmer’s market too. It’s perfect!
Lisa says
Do you go to the market by W and 8th??
Catherine says
Dear Lisa, what a sight! This looks so good…just my kind of breakfast. I love your tip…saving that for future reference. xo, Catherine
Lisa says
Thank you, Catherine!!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
This screams comfort- I wish I found random pockets of money 😉
Lisa says
Hehe, your whole day changes completely when you find money in your pocket!
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom says
I love this recipe and I love that you were honest enough to share your mistakes 🙂
Lisa says
Thanks, Kristen! I make so many notes on my kitchen blunders that I feel others could probably use the info, too!
Sonali- The Foodie Physician says
Gorgeous dish and stunning photos! And I love your tips for the perfect egg 🙂
Lisa says
Thank you, Sonali!
Unal says
so delicious 🙂
Lisa says
Thanks, Unal!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
This is perfect for any meal, Lisa. And I love the spice you used in this dish.
Lisa says
Thanks, Angie!
Rachel @LittleChefBigAppetite says
YUM!!! I want this for breakfast tomorrow morning!
Lisa says
Thanks, Rachel!
Bam's Kitchen says
Great tips on the eggs Lisa and glad to hear that you could find those gorgeous tomatoes so late in the the year. Thanks for the new breakfast idea and wishing you a super week.
Lisa says
Thanks, Bobbi! I hope you had a fabulous week as well!
Sara Dalton says
I found this recipe on My Fitness Pal Hello Healthy Blog and it looked so delicious I wanted to try it and the results were phenomenal! I appreciated the substitutes that you suggested for sumac and ras el hanout which I used in the recipe. Your blog looks like it has a lot of great ideas and recipes. Thank you!
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Sara! Thank you for stopping by and for trying out my recipe! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!