Gordon Ramsay’s North African eggs

Your sunday brunch cannot get much better than this – this is a warm, comforting and tasty dish, which while please the toughest crowds. For extra points, the pepper and tomato sauce can be made in advance. Just a technical tip, though. Do not forget to cover the pan while the eggs are poaching.  The steam will set the white on the top of egg leaving the yolk runny and golden, just like you want it.

Gordon Ramsay’s North African eggs (adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course) .

Ingredients

• 2 shallots finely diced (replaced by 2 medium likes finely sliced as one of the guests is allergic)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon of flaked piri-piri (or red chilli finely sliced)
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 5 fresh tomatoes roughly chopped
•  Salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
• 2 tablespoons finely sliced spring onion

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy based pan until is piping hot.  Add  the chopped shallots, season with salt and pepper and let them sweat for 5 minutes. When the onions are soft,  add the sliced peppers and continue to sweat for another 5 minutes more

Add the cumin seeds, garlic and chilli, give it a good stir to coat them in oil. Let them cook for a couple of minutes, and the then add the tomatoes.

Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until the mixture has the consistency of a thick sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make 4 wells in the vegetable mixture and break an egg into each. Cover the pan and poach the eggs until set, about 10 minutes. Scatter the surface with the chopped coriander and a good grinding of black pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread to mop up the juices.