Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS (makes 4 servings)

1 tbsp (15 mL) Olive oil or canola oil

1/2 each Medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 clove Garlic, minced

1 Red pepper, chopped

2 Jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)

1 tsp (5 mL) Ground cumin

2 tsp (10 mL) Smoked paprika

1/2 can (400 g) Crushed tomatoes, no salt added

1 cup (250 mL) Canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tsp (5 mL) Salt

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) Black pepper

2 cups (500 mL) Baby spinach (or leaf spinach, chopped)

1/4 cup (60 mL) Water 4 each Eggs, large

PROCEDURE

1. . In medium frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat; sauté onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add red pepper and jalapeno, if using; cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Add cumin and paprika, and stir until fragrant.
4. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, salt and pepper. Simmer until flavours meld, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup water if sauce seems too thick. (It should be loose enough that you can spoon up some liquid.)
5. Add spinach and cook until spinach wilts, about 3 minutes.
6. Using the bottom of a ladle, make four evenly spaced indents in the tomato mixture. Crack one egg into each indentation.
7. Gently spoon some sauce over egg whites to help them set.
8. Cover pan with lid and gently simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or until whites are set but yolks are still runny. 

NOTES: Fresh garlic can be substituted with 1 tsp garlic powder. Fresh spinach can be substituted with 1 cup frozen chopped spinach. Add extra jalapeno if you want a spicier dish, or omit if you prefer no spice. If you don’t have jalapeno, you can substitute 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) cayenne. Smoked paprika adds a nice flavour, but feel free to substitute regular paprika. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro for an extra flavour boost. Serve with rice or slice of rye toast.