What's for Dinner: Stewed Tomatoes and Eggs

Whenever I hear "stewed" I think about Southern cooking. I'm not sure why, since stewing didn't originate in the South, but I guess I suspect that all the blue-haired women I know who attend little country churches have stewed tomatoes in their pantry that they canned from their garden.

I hated tomatoes as a child. It's strange what you remember. When I was six I had a Cabbage Patch doll and a baby book that went along with it. I recorded on her "likes and dislikes" page that she didn't like tomatoes. Then I considered that I just marked out all the things I didn't like and reconsidered that maybe I should make her a separate entity. So I decided she liked tomatoes after all.

Never underestimate a child's cognitive skills. They are thinking so much that would amaze and astound you.

Tonight's meal was the best because the leftovers make an easy breakfast.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
• 1 orange bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes
• 8 large eggs
• Chopped cilantro, for serving
• 4 slices toasted bread

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onion and cook, covered, for 4 minutes. Add the peppers, season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add to the skillet along with their juices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the mixture has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
3. Make 8 small wells in the sauce and carefully crack an egg into each one. Cover and gently simmer for 6 minutes. Uncover and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to desired doneness, 6 to 7 minutes for slightly runny yolks. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, if desired, and serve with toast.

 I turned it into a bruschetta (pronounced "bru-sketta")  with olive oil, cilantro, and garlic garnish.