All too often, I forget that eggs make a really quick and easy dinner. We tend to pigeonhole them into a breakfast or brunch option – something to cook on a lazy weekend morning when we have time to enjoy a nice cooked breakfast.
Dishes such as shakshuka, a Middle Eastern pepper and tomato stew, can make a great dinner option too. The sauce simmers on the hob, and eggs are poached in little indents on the surface. Turkish menemen is very similar to shakshuka, but there’s a lesser-known Turkish eggs recipe that’s incredibly delicious too. This, called cilbir, involves poaching eggs, then laying them on a swirl of garlic-infused yoghurt, topping with a nutty chilli butter and fresh dill fronds. It’s a magical combination, simple, satisfying and very quick to make.
Initially, the thought of poached eggs and yoghurt may sound off-putting. I know those textures don’t sound right. But actually, it’s pure comfort food. Just add some good sourdough toast or a toasted pitta bread to mop up all that amazing flavour.
As with all simple dishes, this relies on great ingredients. Organic or at least free-range eggs and good-quality, thick Greek-style yoghurt are best. Have the eggs and yoghurt at room temperature. Nigella Lawson heats the yoghurt gently over a pan of simmering water to infuse the garlic. I find this makes it a little too runny and warm, so I simply stir it in, like many traditional recipes do. Garlic will always find a way of making itself known, especially in a creamy yoghurt. Mix it into the yoghurt and leave to infuse at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Traditionally, Turkish chilli flakes, pul biber, would be used for this. Aleppo chilli or paprika will be a good substitute. Dill is such an underused herb in this part of the world, but I do really love it. I’ve been using it regularly lately, as we’ve been cooking more and more Ukrainian food, in solidarity. I’ve recommended them here before, but Olia Hercules’s cookbooks are a real delight. She shares her family’s and friends’ traditional recipes in both Mamushka and Summer Kitchens. Food and recipes have always been a great way to connect with and understand a different culture. I find eating the food from a country is second best to visiting. The tastes and smells can transport you there.
Freezer Storage: If you have more eggs than you can use within a few weeks, you can freeze them, out of their shells. Freeze only clean, fresh eggs. Place them in freezer containers, seal tightly and label with the number of eggs, whites or yolks and the date. Defrost frozen eggs overnight in the refrigerator.
Turkish Menemen and Israeli shakshuka are very similar but differ in the method and seasoning. Both are breakfast dishes where eggs are cooked in a tomato sauce. In menemen the eggs are virtually scrambled into the sauce, whereas shakshuka eggs are placed on the sauce and only slightly mixed.
According to the American Egg Board, you can leave eggs on the counter about 2 hours at room temperature (or 1 hour if the temperature is 90°F or hotter). After 2 hours, you'd be safer to throw those eggs out and get a fresh dozen rather than chance it.
On those egg cartons, if an expiration date appears, it can be no more than 30 days after the pack date. "As long as they're kept properly refrigerated at 40°F or lower, fresh eggs are safe to eat four to five weeks beyond the carton's Julian date," Maloberti says.
Even though refrigerated eggs stay fresh for several weeks beyond their sell-by or expiration date, they don't last forever. So use the surplus eggs for something practical, like whipping up a drool-worthy frittata for your next breakfast or baking a cake for your upcoming neighborhood potluck.
Let your eggs come to room temperature before dying! I like to cook mine and then let them cool so I can dye the same day. Avoid refrigerating them before you dye them.
Some delicious egg-based meals could include Finnish pancakes, egg casseroles, quiche, egg muffins, or baked French toast. Fancy baked goods that involve quite a few eggs include bread pudding, custard pie, or souffles. Macaroons, meringues, or angel food cake are great options for using up extra egg whites.
Fresh eggs that are stored in a carton and kept on the coolest shelf in the fridge will last up to 5 weeks. They can last longer if the humidity is high to prevent too much evaporation. One way to make refrigerated eggs last even longer is to wrap each egg in plastic wrap.
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