A Mother’s Day brunch to remember with Megan Papas

Shakshuka with Grilled Mainland Haloumi

The Hits’ Megan Papas shares her favourite shakshuka recipe, starring Mainland Haloumi.

Looking for an impressive brunch idea this Mother’s Day? Radio host Megan Papas will be celebrating with husband Andrew and their children, Bastian, 3 and Aiya, 1, and one of Megan’s favourite recipes, shakshuka, will be on the menu. A deliciously tangy dish of eggs poached in a tomato and bell pepper sauce, it’s perfect for one of her favourite ingredients, Mainland Haloumi, which adds a delicious salty flavour and crispy texture.

The babies (courtesy of Andrew!) always get me flowers for Mother’s Day. We decided early on that we wouldn’t buy presents for Father’s and Mother’s Day, but Andrew has always bought me flowers. He also whips up some sort of delicious breakfast.

Mother’s Day is a nice chance for us all to relax and enjoy some food together with no stress to be anywhere. We can chat, even if it’s limited with a 1- and 3-year-old, but it’s just nice to all be together and enjoy something home cooked.

Food is, and always has been, a very social activity for me. So, cooking for people, and watching them enjoy my food, might be a love language for me. Delicious food is a great way for people to bond, it’s universal.

One of my favourite meals is a shakshuka with Mainland Haloumi — this dish is impressive and easy to bake to perfection. You can literally dive right in with a piece of crusty bread — family-style if you want to. The haloumi just levels it up and adds a delicious Mediterranean flavour, plus the famous haloumi squeak! It’s such a great dish to make for brunch with your friends, or your in-laws — it’ll impress them every time.

Mainland Haloumi is so versatile. It’s hand-crafted using the traditional Cypriot method and the unique taste and texture can elevate a wrap for lunch, make a yummy warm salad, or make a great vegetarian option for burgers. There really is no effort required — just slice and grill it in a pan.

I find cooking relaxing and rewarding. It’s very cathartic for me. I know some people don’t like coming home after working all day and cooking a meal, but I love it. It relaxes me, and I love making a meal to suit everyone in my family. At the weekend there’s usually more of a treat meal. We might do homemade fish and chips or pizzas with Mainland Grated Mozzarella cheese — haloumi is also a great choice on pizza.

I always have Mainland Haloumi in the fridge. When I don’t know what to make, or feel like I have nothing in the house, I make a salad with some pearl couscous (always on hand in the pantry), grill up whatever veges I have, some fresh herbs from the garden, and some grilled Mainland Haloumi. Perfection!

Shakshuka with Grilled Mainland Haloumi

Ingredients:

· 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

· 1 large onion, halved and diced

· 1 large red capsicum, seeded and diced

· 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

· 1 tsp ground cumin

· ¼ tsp ground coriander

· 1 tsp sweet paprika

· ½ tsp carraway seeds

· ⅛ tsp ground cayenne, or to taste

· 1 Tbsp tomato paste

· 1 can whole plum tomatoes with their juices, coarsely chopped

· ¾ tsp salt, plus more as needed

· ¼ tsp black pepper, plus more as needed

· 6 large eggs

· 200g Mainland Haloumi

· Chopped coriander, for serving

· Chilli flakes, for serving

Method:

1. Heat oven to 190C. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onion and capsicum. Cook gently until very soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste and spices, cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in tomatoes and season with ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

2. Cut Haloumi into 2cm slices and rest on some kitchen paper to make sure they are dry. Place a frypan on a medium to high heat and grill the haloumi slices on both sides until golden brown and crispy.

3. Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes.

4. Take shakshuka out the oven, arrange Mainland Haloumi on top and garnish with fresh coriander and a drizzle of your favourite olive/chilli oil and some chilli flakes

Mainland Haloumi is available at supermarkets and retailers nationwide. For this and more Mainland recipes to make and share, head to nzherald.co.nz/eatwell.