Urban Family

5 Ingredients: Stephan Laurent's Shakshouka

By Natalie Foxwell, 2018-06-04 05:41:40

5 Ingredients is an Urban Family series where we sit down with a Shanghai-based chef and ask for a family-friendly meal using 5 Ingredients easily found in Shanghai; let us help you start the week with a simple five-step recipe!

This week we talked to Stephan Laurent from Bread etc. Chef Stephan has worked with some of the biggest names on the French culinary scene, where he perfected his pastry skills and techniques. With years of experience and consulting, he opened Bread & Co in Tel Aviv, then pursued his dream to work in Asia. The first Bread etc. opened in September 2016 on Xiangyang Nan Lu and the second location on Nanjing Xi Lu in 2017. The business continues to thrive, and he recently acquired Bastiaan Bakery, which will become their central kitchen in the future and allow for even further expansion.

Can you tell me about the dish you are helping us prepare this week?

I will explain how to make a traditional Israeli dish, Shakshouka, which pairs perfectly with Challah bread. My father is French, and my mother is Israeli, so this dish represents them both. I put this dish on the menu at Bread etc., as an ode to my family and it is our best seller. My background influences me a lot, and I am happy to share this tradition from Tel Aviv, where every week we enjoyed this dish; dipping the challah bread into the Shakshouka sauce.

What five ingredients do we need?

Serves 3-4   people

500 grams ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced  

1 red bell pepper, cored and minced

2 fresh eggs 

½ yellow onion, minced

Additional spices: 1 clove garlic, 1½ sliced chilis, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon cumin

Best served with: Challah bread

What is the five-step recipe?

1. Oil your pan and add the paprika, cumin, garlic and chili.

2. Once heated, add the tomatoes and mix well.

3. Then, add the red bell pepper and onion, and stir together.

4. Leave to cook uncovered for 30 minutes on low-medium heat.

5. When ready, crack your eggs on top and cook for a further three minutes.

What’s your advice on your dish of the week?

You need to pick the right tomatoes; for the best results, they must be ripe. I highly recommend you serve this with traditional challah bread and use it to dip in the sauce.

**Tell us something that’s happening with your business at the moment, that our Urban Family community can enjoy.**

We recently added new dishes to our cafe menu, and we changed the majority of our counter items. Customers will enjoy our new range of bread, cakes and other dishes. We also welcome the Shanghai community to take advantage of our Bread etc. VIP card, which adds 10 percent extra value anytime you top it up. Scan our QR code to find our more.