Stouts and Stilettos: Beer-Lamb Shakshuka

“I had a craving for lamb shakshuka. As we all know, cooking with beer makes kitchen adventures even more fun, so it was time for a little experimenting.

For this dish, I used Great Divide Brewing Colette Farmhouse Ale. Colette is light on the typical farmhouse funk with a punch of clove and touch of citrus. With the spicy sauce, I figured the clove would meld nicely. I tasted the sauce before and after adding the Colette, and to me, the beer brightened the spice profile.

This recipe calls for ras el hanout, which is a Moroccan spice mix. Kroger’s Private Selection brand offers this mix, but I recommend making your own if you have most of the spices on hand. I find premade spice mixes are never as flavorful, and it hardly takes any time to whip together a batch. Here is the recipe I used.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons ras el hanout
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 cup saison
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
Salt to taste
4-6 eggs
Cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Add lamb, onion and red pepper and cook until lamb is browned and vegetables are softened, about five minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, ras el hanout, garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute or two to toast spices, stirring frequently. Don’t let burn. Reduce heat if needed.
4. Add saison and let reduce until about ¼ cup is left. Add crushed tomatoes and salt. Bring to simmer for about five minutes.
5. Remove from heat and use a spoon to create wells in the sauce. Crack eggs into the wells. Cook for 8-13 minutes, depending on how you want your eggs cooked. Keep an eye on eggs frequently to ensure they don’t overcook.
6. Remove from oven when eggs are cooked to your liking and top with cilantro.”

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