Shakshuka meets eggs in purgatory meets egg curry

Melissa Clark's new skillet eggs with garam masala and tomatoes is soothing yet vibrant.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 23, 2024 Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. Bright flavors for gray days By Mia Leimkuhler I started buying eggs by the 30-pack in quarantine and never stopped. If there's eggs in the fridge, I can put dinner on the table: baked eggs, eggs kejriwal, kimchi eggs, romesco eggs. (For context, there's only two of us in this household. We just really love eggs.) "Everyone loves a shakshuka moment" was more or less how Melissa Clark introduced her skillet eggs with garam masala and tomatoes to the New York Times Cooking team, and she's right. There's a lot to love here. Her recipe is a voluptuous, flavorful melding of shakshuka, eggs in purgatory and egg curry, with molten-centered eggs swaddled in a tomato sauce that's spiced with cardamom, cinnamon and garam masala. You can make the sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to three days. Cook it up on a quiet moment on Saturday, then sleep in on Sunday knowing brunch is taken care of. Featured Recipe Skillet Eggs With Garam Masala and Tomatoes View Recipe → Spring hasn't quite sprung where I live, so I've been leaning into vibrant, assertive flavors that taste like the blue skies and varicolored flowers I'm waiting for. This braised chicken with rosemary, chickpeas and salted lemon is hearty, bright and briny; I'll add some of the salted lemon paste I have stashed in my fridge to the quick lemon pickle for even more oomph. And Yossy Arefi's cilantro-lime salmon and rice is the sort of herby, zesty one-pot meal I need for a gray Tuesday. Spiced onions — more specifically, onions sautéed with cumin, coriander and allspice — are mixed into both the sauce and the melted Cheddar topping in this baked skillet pasta from Melissa. Lidey Heuck's sweet potato shepherd's pie swaps the usual carrots-and-peas filling for one that's Moroccan-inspired, with lots of warm spices, chickpeas and dates. Both recipes are the cooking equivalent of that spring jacket that's substantial enough to keep out the chill but not so heavy that it weighs you down. And how beautiful are these qatayef asafiri (stuffed semolina pancakes) from Reem Kassis? They're the cover star of our Ramadan desserts collection, though I'd eat these anytime: small, golden yeasted pancakes scented with orange or rose water, spooned full of whipped mascarpone and dipped in crushed pistachios. I'll let Laila, a reader, take it from here with some friendly tips: "Don't let not having mahlab or orange blossom water or rose water stop you. These are delicious without. Best eaten same day. Pistachios a must." Thanks for reading! My colleague and friend Eric Kim will be guest-writing next week. I'll leave you with this delightful video of him making his gochugaru salmon with crispy rice, a veritable New York Times Cooking classic. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Braised Chicken With Rosemary, Chickpeas and Salted Lemon By Yewande Komolafe 50 minutes Makes 4 servings Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Cilantro-Lime Salmon and Rice By Yossy Arefi 40 minutes Makes 4 servings Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times Baked Skillet Pasta With Cheddar and Spiced Onions By Melissa Clark 1 hour Makes 4 to 6 servings Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie By Lidey Heuck About 1 1/2 hours Makes 4 to 6 servings David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff. Qatayef Asafiri (Stuffed Semolina Pancakes) By Reem Kassis 45 minutes Makes About 30 pieces Sign up for the Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter Fresh dinner ideas for busy people who want something great to eat, with NYT Cooking recipes sent to you weekly. Get it in your inbox Sign up for The Veggie newsletter Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties. Get it in your inbox Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Cooking from The New York Times. To stop receiving Cooking, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to NYT CookingGet the NYT Cooking app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018