Campfire Skillet Moroccan Berber Omelette with Peak-Harvest Tomatoes and Cumin

Build a campfire and let it burn down to a bed of glowing coals, then set a grate about 6 inches above them. A 10-inch cast-iron skillet is the right pan here — it holds steady heat where flames flicker.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 ripe farmers-market tomatoes, chopped (about 2 lb)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Crusty bread or khobz, for serving

Instructions

1. Build a campfire and let it burn down to a bed of glowing coals, then set a grate about 6 inches above them. A 10-inch cast-iron skillet is the right pan here — it holds steady heat where flames flicker.
2. Warm the olive oil in the skillet, add the onion and bell pepper, and cook 6 to 8 minutes until softened and lightly golden, sliding the pan toward cooler coals if it sizzles too hard.
3. Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes with a good pinch of salt. Simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the juices reduce and the mixture pulls away from the pan in a thick, jammy sauce.
5. Stir in half the parsley and cilantro, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
6. Crack the eggs directly over the tomato base, spacing them evenly. Season the tops lightly with salt.
7. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and cook 5 to 8 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft. Rake a few coals under the pan if the eggs are slow to set.
8. Scatter the remaining herbs over the top and bring the whole skillet to the table.
9. Serve straight from the pan with torn bread for scooping — no plates required.
10. In the Berber villages of the Atlas Mountains this dish is cooked in a shallow clay tagine set over embers, and it travels beautifully to a campsite. August is when tomatoes carry enough sugar and acid to build the sauce with nothing but heat and time, which is exactly what an open fire gives you.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Protein: 17g
• Fat: 21g
• Carbohydrates: 15g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 9g
• Sodium: 420mg