A SATISFYING SKILLET MEAL

As designated ship’s cook while sailing in California, Florida, Europe and Scandinavia, and closer to home in Minnesota, I’ve become pretty adept at mastering the one-skillet meal. When I first started planning, provisioning and cooking meals on board, I could never seem to remember every single thing I needed to complete the meals I’d intended— likely because I never really followed recipes at home. I’ve since found that by stocking staple ingredients, then picking up other ingredients I need as I go, cooking aboard can be easy and enjoyable. § I prefer to use a cast-iron skillet, if available; if not, a sturdy stainless-steel pan will do the trick. Just prep the ingredients, add to the skillet, and you have only one pan to clean up later. It’s even better if you can attractively serve the dish right in the skillet, on the table. § One of my favorite such meals is called shakshuka. This dish originated in North Africa and is now popular throughout the Middle East. Loosely translated, the word means “all mixed up”—and a delightful mix it is! It uses only a few ingredients, and, while there are many variations, traditional shakshuka is basically eggs in a spiced tomato and green pepper stew with onions and garlic. This is my version of the dish. Serve it for breakfast, or add a salad and fresh bread and call it dinner!