By Executive Chef Jonathan Perno
Serves 4
Stew
6 cups yellow onion, small diced
1-1/2 cups garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted, ground
2 tablespoons coriander seed, toasted, ground
1 tablespoon Grains of Paradise, toasted, ground
6 tablespoons New Mexico red chile powder
1 teaspoon caraway, toasted, ground
3 bay leaves
3 cups dry white wine
3 pounds fresh tomatoes
1 can chickpeas (12 ounce), drained
2 oranges, skin intact
Garnish
2 fresh eggs per person
1 tablespoon high quality extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons feta cheese
3 leaves mint (chiffonade)
Fresh ground cracked black pepper
In a large, deep saucepan (8-quart), sweat onions and garlic in olive oil with a little salt until almost translucent. Add spices and herbs and cook until fragrant. Add wine and reduce by half. Add tomatoes and chickpeas. Bring to a simmer and salt to taste. Cook until tomatoes have collapsed. Using a microplane, zest both oranges directly into the pot.
When ready to serve, poach the eggs. Make a little well in the stew for each egg. Drop a couple drops of olive oil in each well. (You can cook 4-6 at a time.) Crack an egg into each well and cover. Make sure the heat is very low and the eggs are poaching slowly in a gentle simmer. Once whites are cooked, remove from heat. Scoop out the eggs, one by one, into warmed wide bowls. Ladle in stew around the egg. The eggs will float in the stew. Generously garnish with olive oil. Sprinkle with feta, mint chiffonade and fresh ground pepper.
Jonathan Perno is an Executive Chef.
