Athlete’s Cookbook: Ibtihaj Muhammad’s Shakshuka Shake-Up

In 2016, Team USA fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad became the first Muslim American woman to medal at the Olympics. What she didn’t know was that a young woman named Kia Damon was watching — and catching some serious feels at the sight of an empowered, Black, sword-fighting woman on the podium. Fast-forward to 2020 and Kia, now a star chef in Brooklyn, gets to be the one to inspire Ibti in return. On this episode of “Athlete’s Cookbook,” Kia takes a cue from the fencer’s travels in Morocco, creating an untraditional twist on shakshuka that’s shockingly good — and shockingly green. Soon, the two are reminiscing about family cooking, debating egg-cracking techniques, and doing a bit of impromptu get-out-the-vote work. Watch the episode above, check out the recipe below, and get cooking.

• Large knife
• Cutting board
• Large oven-safe sauté pan
• Large spoon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In the large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 6 minutes. Add the bell peppers and sauté for another 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and squash and sauté for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatillos, adding oil and salt as needed, and turn the heat up to a simmer.

Once the tomatillos are broken down, add the garlic and serrano pepper and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin and smoked paprika and continue sautéing until fragrant. Reduce the heat and add the chard, adding more oil if needed. Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt.

Use the back of a spoon to make 5 indents, then crack the eggs into the indents. Put the pan in the oven for 4 to 7 minutes or until the egg whites are set and the yolks are sunny. Slide the pita bread onto the bottom rack of the oven to toast. Remove the pita and shakshuka from the oven. To serve, scoop eggs and sauce onto plates and top with parsley, mint leaves and feta cheese. Serve with sliced avocado and toasted pita triangles.

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