# Summer Shakshuka with Jimmy Nardello Peppers, Eggplant, and Smoky Harissa Kraut > Sweet Jimmy Nardello peppers and silky eggplant settle into a thick tomato sauce beneath soft-yolk eggs. Lemon tahini, bright green zhug, and smoky harissa bring richness, freshness, and heat, with crunchy sauerkraut alongside. Ginger-cardamom coffee makes it a proper summer Sunday breakfast. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/summertime-shakshuka-with-jimmy-nardello-peppers-eggplant-harissa-sauerkraut-ara - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2024-07-14 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo, nut-free ![Summer Shakshuka with Jimmy Nardello Peppers, Eggplant, and Smoky Harissa Kraut](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Fd0498106e2e2a685.jpg) ## Jimmy Nardello and Eggplant Shakshuka Roasting the eggplant concentrates its flavor without flooding the tomato sauce with moisture. Sweet peppers balance the tomatoes, while a thick sauce supports the eggs and keeps their whites tender. ### Ingredients - 1 lb eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1 tbsp ghee - 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced - 12 oz Jimmy Nardello peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into short strips - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 1 tsp ground cumin - 1 tsp sweet paprika - 1 tbsp tomato paste - 2 lb ripe summer tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with their juices - 8 large eggs - 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the eggplant with the olive oil and half the salt. Spread on a sheet pan and roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until browned at the edges and completely tender. 2. Meanwhile, melt the ghee in a wide, lidded 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, peppers, and remaining salt. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened with a few golden edges. 3. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, and tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly. 4. Add the tomatoes and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick enough that a spoon drawn through the sauce leaves a brief trail. Fold in the roasted eggplant and adjust the salt. 5. Make eight shallow wells in the hot sauce. Crack an egg into each well, cover, and cook over low heat for 5–9 minutes, checking frequently toward the end. The whites should be opaque and set, with yolks still soft; cook longer for firm yolks. 6. Remove from the heat immediately so the eggs do not continue to firm up in the skillet. ### Notes - If the tomatoes reduce before the peppers are tender, add water a tablespoon at a time. If the sauce is watery, reduce it before adding the eggs. - For anyone at higher risk from undercooked eggs, use pasteurized eggs or cook until both whites and yolks are firm. ## Lemon Tahini Sauce Tahini adds a creamy, nutty counterpoint without obscuring the vegetables. Lemon keeps the sauce bright against the eggs and olive oil. ### Ingredients - 1/3 cup well-stirred tahini - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice - 1/2 small clove garlic, finely grated - 1/4 tsp kosher salt - 3–5 tbsp cold water ### Instructions 1. Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt together; the mixture will initially tighten. 2. Whisk in the cold water a tablespoon at a time until pale, smooth, and thickly spoonable. Taste and adjust the salt or lemon. ### Notes - Keep it thick enough to hold a dollop on the shakshuka rather than disappearing into the tomato sauce. ## Green Zhug A coarse cilantro sauce brings fresh chile heat and acidity to the soft, rich eggs and eggplant. ### Ingredients - 1 packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems - 1/2 packed cup flat-leaf parsley leaves - 1 serrano chile, stemmed and roughly chopped - 1 clove garlic, chopped - 1/2 tsp ground cumin - 1/4 tsp ground cardamom - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1/4 tsp kosher salt ### Instructions 1. Pulse the cilantro, parsley, serrano, garlic, cumin, cardamom, and salt in a small food processor until finely chopped. 2. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and pulse briefly to make a coarse, spoonable sauce. Leave some texture rather than blending completely smooth. ### Notes - Remove the serrano seeds for gentler heat; the meal also includes harissa. ## Smoky Harissa Sauerkraut Cool, crunchy fermented cabbage cuts through the eggs and tahini. Harissa connects the side to the warm spices in the shakshuka. ### Ingredients - 2 cups plain sauerkraut, lightly drained - 1–2 tbsp Zwita smoky harissa, gluten-free ### Instructions 1. Toss the sauerkraut with 1 tablespoon harissa until evenly coated. 2. Taste and add more harissa as desired. Let stand for 5–10 minutes and serve cool or at room temperature. ### Notes - Drain excess brine without squeezing the cabbage dry; a little moisture helps distribute the harissa. ## Harissa, Cilantro, and Nigella Finish A little extra red chile paste, fresh cilantro, and nigella give each bowl distinct pockets of heat and herbal crunch. ### Ingredients - 4 tsp Zwita smoky harissa, gluten-free - 1/4 cup cilantro leaves - 1 tsp nigella seeds - 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ### Instructions 1. Reserve the harissa for small dollops on the tahini. 2. Finish the plated shakshuka with cilantro, nigella, and a light drizzle of olive oil. ## Arabic Hawaij Coffee Ginger and cardamom perfume the coffee without making it sweet. Small amounts of cinnamon and clove round out the spice. ### Ingredients - 600 ml water - 36 g medium-fine ground coffee - 1/2 tsp ground cardamom - 1/2 tsp ground ginger - 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon - 1 small pinch ground cloves ### Instructions 1. Bring the water just to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat for 30 seconds. 2. Stir in the coffee and spices. Steep off heat for 4 minutes, then pour slowly through a paper coffee filter into a warmed carafe. 3. Divide among four small cups and serve hot. ### Notes - This is a practical filtered preparation using a coffee-style hawaij blend, not the cumin-and-turmeric hawaij used for savory dishes. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The eggplant roasts while the sauce cooks, leaving time to make the cold accompaniments. Eggs and coffee finish last. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven, chop the vegetables, and put the eggplant in to roast. 2. 0:15 — Start the onion and peppers; add the aromatics and tomatoes as directed. 3. 0:25 — While the tomato sauce simmers, make the tahini, zhug, and harissa sauerkraut. 4. 0:40 — Fold the roasted eggplant into the reduced sauce. Set out warm bowls, garnishes, and coffee cups. 5. 0:45 — Add the eggs to the shakshuka. Prepare the coffee while the eggs gently set. 6. 0:55 — Plate immediately and serve with the kraut and hot coffee. ## Plating Wide, shallow bowls hold the vegetable sauce while keeping the eggs and contrasting condiments visible. ### Instructions 1. Spoon the vegetable base into four warm, shallow bowls, lifting two eggs carefully onto each portion. 2. Add a generous spoonful of tahini to one side and place a small dollop of harissa on top. Spoon zhug around the eggs in two or three small patches. 3. Finish with cilantro, nigella, and olive oil. Serve the harissa sauerkraut in small bowls alongside, with the coffee in warm cups. ## Leftover Path The vegetable base reheats well, but freshly cooked eggs preserve the dish's best texture. Keeping the cold sauces separate maintains their color and consistency. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Store the vegetable base, eggs, tahini, zhug, and kraut separately when possible. 2. Use the cooked shakshuka within 3 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F; already-cooked eggs will become firm. For the best texture, reserve egg-free sauce and cook fresh eggs in it when serving again. 3. Keep tahini refrigerated for up to 4 days and zhug for up to 3 days. Loosen the tahini with a little water before serving. 4. Use the mixed harissa kraut within 5 days, keeping it refrigerated and using clean utensils. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.