Preparation (especially if cooking in the wild)

The Day Before:

• Shop for all ingredients.
• If cooking beans from dried: first soak for 6-12 hours, simmer until tender, season with salt and chill in their cooking liquid.
• Make and reserve sofrito.

The Day Of:

• Transfer ingredients into a cooler.
• Gather essentials to start and maintain a fire safely, such as: newspaper or fatwood, matches or a lighter, kindling, dry firewood, a shovel, long-handled tongs for moving burning logs and embers, sturdy gloves, fire-extinguisher or water for safety and putting out embers at the end of the day.
• Cooking equipment: cast iron 8 quart Dutch oven with lid, large cast iron skillet or griddle, wooden spoon for stirring and serving, metal fish spatula (or other thin, flexible spatula), long handled tongs for roasting peppers, cutting board, sharp knife, a selection of bowls, trays and spoons for prepping and cooking, plates, napkins and utensils for eating.

Instructions for Sofrito:

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pan. Add onions and a few pinches of salt, then cook, covered, stirring occasionally until onions begin to soften and release their liquid.

Lower heat to medium low and cook onions, uncovered, stirring often and adding a splash of water occasionally if sticking to the pan, until onions are completely melted, a deep golden brown, and caramelized.

Add tomato puree and cook until thickened, then season with salt, cool and refrigerate until needed.

Instructions for Shakshuka:

Build a good fire with dry wood and allow to burn down to hot coals. Place poblano peppers directly on hot coals and cook, turning often, until skins are blackened and charred on all sides.

Remove poblanos from heat and allow to rest until cool enough to handle, and then scrape off charred skin with a clean towel or dull side of a knife. Remove and discard stem, slice in half, remove and discard seeds, slice or tear into bite-sized pieces and reserve.

Cut 4 slabs of bacon in half for garnish and the other 4 slabs into lardons (sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch strips).

Using an 8 quart Dutch oven, set over a low fire, render slab bacon halves until crisp. Remove and set aside. Add bacon lardons and cook until rendered and just beginning to brown.

Stir in sofrito, crushed garlic cloves, and harissa and cook for 2 minutes, then add white wine and reduce by half.

Add tomato puree and cook until bubbling, then add cooked red beans along with a ½ cup or so of cooking liquid (reserve the rest if needed for thinning sauce) and dried chilies, then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced slightly and thickened to your liking. Season to taste with salt.

Meanwhile, sear the tomato and onion quarters on a cast iron griddle or in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat on all cut sides until tender and nicely charred. Slice root end from onion quarters, separate into individual “petals” and set aside.

Once beans are cooked and the sauce is thick and simmering gently, lay in poblano pepper pieces. Using a spoon, make four divots and gently crack eggs into each divot. Season eggs with salt, cover with lid, carefully pile some hot coals on top and cook for about 4-5 minutes until egg whites are just set. Remove coals from lid and lift off using tongs or heat proof gloves.

Tuck in reserved bacon slices, tomatoes, and charred onion petals, cover with lid, cover again with hot coals and cook for 1-2 minutes more until everything is hot and bubbling and eggs are cooked to your liking. Remove from heat, drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky finishing salt.

Garnish with crumbled feta, parsley leaves, and more harissa or your preferred hot sauce. Serve with toasted bread for sopping up the sauce.

Kichen notes from the Chefs:

We used a lovely Rancho Gordo heirloom bean variety called Hidatsa Red Beans, but any small red bean will do. Cooking your own beans is highly recommended but you can also substitute with two cans of red beans.