It was not an easy decision. Our 3 finalists had to be tasted several times (tough job) to decide on the winner of the 2012 Tagine Contest. The winner of the contest and a Clay Coyote Dutch Oven was…
Merguez Ragout with Poached Eggs
by Emily Swantner
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, small dice
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 pound merguez sausage, sliced ½-inch thick
- 2 teaspoons Ras el Hanout, homemade or store bought
- ½ teaspoon cayenne, optional
- 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 15-ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen
- 8 extra-large eggs
- ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro, stems included
- 2 tablespoons Harissa, homemade or store bought
- warm crusty bread, for serving
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden. Toss in the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add the merguez and sauté until almost cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium-low and add the Ras el Hanout, Spanish smoked paprika and salt. Stir to combine and cook for a minute to lightly toast the spices. Add the tomatoes. Turn up the heat to medium and cook until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
Crack the eggs over the mixture, cover and cook until the white sets, but the yolk is still soft.
Spoon the ragout into four warm bowls, top with two eggs, a sprinkling of cilantro and a teaspoon of Harissa.
Serve immediately with crusty bread.
