Plantain Shakshuka, Orange Blossom Drenched Pancakes, Sinful Puddings & our competition winner!

Cook This! Plus 10 fabulous recipes to be fed, to feed oneself or others.

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As we drove past a small and vibrant fruit and veg stall outside the red walls of the Medina, in shock, I blurted, “Plantains! They have plantains!” Astonished, yet unsure as to why I was so surprised to see plantains sold in the centre of Morocco, ideas came rushing in!

Plantains have always been part of my West African culture, food and identity. I adore these fruits (cooked as a vegetable) and on this trip I took packs of plantain chips for snacks. Not once had it occurred to me that plantains would be sold in North Africa. Why not? Although I am yet to see plantains on the menu of any restaurant so far in my travels across the country, that has not stopped me from finding joy in pairing my beloved plantains with North African flavours like the Tunisian Shakshuka.

Could it be that taking plantain chips on a trip to Marrakesh programmed my brain to spot plantains more vigorously? The blessing of travel and exploring different lands and cultures, this is one of the many ways I become inspired to share old recipes, create new ones, to marry ingredients that are magical together, however non-traditional. Like the Plantain Shakshuka. Which to a Nigerian could simply be called, “Plantain with stew & eggs”.

This recipe is a must-try with a smoky sweet tomato sauce, red peppers and spices. With plantains embedded within and studded on top. We served these in a Ghanaian Asanka earthenware during our cookery retreat in Ghana and I cannot wait to serve this sunshine in our upcoming retreat in Morocco this October. The same place that sparked this curious marriage. See the recipe below and my cook’s tips, as usual, for plant based variations.

Congratulations to Joanna Kalinska who won our new year competition with Odysea. Prepare to receive your whopping bundle of the best of Greek & The Med produce, and those gorgeous brass grinders. More treats to come for our members.

Thank you for all your love and support and I wish you a beautiful week with all the love and great food that you deserve.

Let’s get cooking!💃🏽

10 fabulous recipes to try this week. Recipes to be fed, to feed oneself and to feed others.

1. Baghrir ~ Honeycombed pancakes with Orange Blossom & Honey Syrup - page 236

2. Spiced Chocolate & Coffee Mousse with Hibiscus Glazed Popcorn.

3. Hibiscus Chocolate & Orange Cake - page 130

4. Om Ali / Sinful Bread Pudding - page 238

5. Malva Pudding / Sticky Apricot Pudding with Spiced Cream - page 240

6. Yoghurt & Harissa Roast Chicken with Chickpeas

7. Lamb Cutlets with Yassa Butter, Grilled Vegetables & Pomegranate - page 124

8. Sticky Apricot Glazed Grilled Fish - page 154

9. Plantain Shakshuka - page 62 and as seen below

10. Aubergine Yassa - page 177

*Exclusive Recipe from my Award-winning cookbook, Africana*

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Africana is available worldwide from the links below, including signed copies. If you love and enjoy the recipes please leave a review here, regardless of where you got the book. Your kind words go a long way. Thank you so much.

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Plantain Shakshuka

Watch how I make this at home

Ingredients

• Serves 4

• 1 large plantain, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

• 2¼ tsp paprika

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped

• 2 bell peppers (red and yellow), stemmed, deseeded and cut into 1 cm slices

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

• 2 tbsp red harissa

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 3 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed

• 1½ tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp paprika 

• ½ tsp ground turmeric

• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)

• 800g vine-ripened tomatoes

• 2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes

• 8 medium free-range eggs, 2 beaten

• 1 small bunch of fresh coriander, torn

Let’s get cooking!

1. Heat 2cm of oil in a shallow frying pan to 190˚C. Cook the plantain in batches for a few minutes, turning frequently to ensure browning on all sides. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with a pinch of fine sea salt and a ¼ tsp paprika and toss. 

2. To prepare the shakshuka, pour the olive oil into a 26cm sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and set over a medium heat. Add the onion and peppers, season with the salt and cook for five minutes until softened. 

3. Add the garlic, red harissa and tomato puree and cook for three minutes, stirring frequently, then stir in the dry spices, and the chilli flakes. Tip in the tomatoes, cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until thickened and sweetened. 

4. Scoop half of the sauce into a bowl then spread the remaining sauce out evenly in the pan. Scatter half of the plantain chunks over the top, then pour the two beaten eggs over the top to cover the plantain and sauce. Cover and cook for two minutes. 

5. Pour the reserved sauce over the layer of eggs and gently spread out evenly. Scatter over the remaining plantain. Use the back of the spoon to make six ‘wells’ in the sauce. Pour an egg in each one, cover the pan and cook for a final ten minutes over a medium low heat, or until the eggs are cooked as you like them. Scatter over the chopped coriander and serve with red harissa and toasted baguette.

Lerato’s Tips

Ingredient swaps, tips and tricks for plant-based versions and ideas to take this recipe even further.

Swap plantains for other veggies & pulses

Although this recipe is wonderful because of the unique use of sweet plantains, what about when we don’t have plantains? A variety of other vegetables such as butternut squash, aubergines, mushrooms and even beans such as red kidney beans, creamy butter beans and also chickpeas. These add a wonderful sweetness and texture to shakshuka, while bulking up the dish with more nutrition.

Make it vegan

As I mentioned, very easy swaps can be made with vegetables, and these apply to swapping out the eggs too. Add cubes of tofu to the sauce in the early stage of cooking to allow the tofu to soak up all the wonderful flavours of the sauce.

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Thank you for reading today. Share this sunshine with your family and friends, and also receive treats as a little thank you from me.

Illustration by Kathleen Murray. Author & Africana Recipe Photo by Tara Fisher.