Month 5 day 7: Shakshuka and watermelon salad

Today I made:
Shakshuka with feta cotija, New York Times May 3, 2013
Watermelon-cucumber salad, Food Network Magazine, June 2010

We didn't know what to have for brunch-- there weren't many breakfasty recipes this month. But I flipped through my recipe file and found this one I clipped out of a newspaper for shakshuka:

We first got to know about shakshuka from having it at Tatte, a bakery/cafe that opened about a year ago in Kendall Square. For a few weeks in the fall, I did an experiment every Saturday that required me to do about 10 minutes of work and then wait for an hour. We sweetened the experience by using that hour-long incubation to go and get brunch at Tatte. Their pastries are delightful, but their shakshukas are warm, filling, and delicious. And, unfortunately, better than this one. I would have liked more peppers and not quite so many onions, and a little less cumin. I ran out of paprika so didn't get to use the full amount-- but it would probably have been better with more. We ate this with some bread G ran out to get while it was cooking. We are lucky to live so close to a grocery store, a bakery, and several good restaurants.

There's a bit of waiting in that recipe, so I cut up this watermelon salad in the meantime:

I like the combination of watermelon and mint, and the cucumber is good in there too. I might leave out the goat cheese next time, though. We've made a similar salad before that has watermelon, mint, and lime. I think I liked that one better.