Mexican Breakfast

A few years ago, I took a little trip to Playa del Carmen with a friend for some serious relaxation. My memories of the trip have since devolved into a warm, hazy blur of sun, ocean dips, strong margaritas, and lots of reading, but one thing that I've always remembered clear as day is the breakfast dish I ate every single morning while we were there. It was a strange little conglomeration of crispy tortilla, eggs, and bright green cilantro served piping hot and sprinkled with a crumbly white cheese; so simple, yet so incredibly good. I actually mourned it's absence when I got back home, never thinking to try making it myself.

I was so surprised, when flipping through David Tanis' cookbook, Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys (a lovely birthday gift from Michelle, our edit director at CA Creative), to find a recipe for the exact dish I remember so well. Tanis calls it chilaquiles, and his version of it is even better than the ones I had in Mexico. In fact, I was so happy to be reunited with it, I whipped it up no less than three times over the weekend. And I'll probably have it for dinner tonight. xo

Mexican Breakfast (or Chilaquiles)
Adapted from Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys, by David Tanis
Ingredients:
4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
Big handful of cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup of scallions, chopped
1 small green jalapeno, chopped
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
Queso fresco, for crumbling

Directions:
Heat a cast-iron skillet, add a little vegetable oil, add the tortilla strips and a little salt, and stir to coat them. The tortilla strips will wilt, then crisp, which is what you want. Throw in a big handful of chopped cilantro, scallions, and chopped jalapenos, and stir them around.

Now add 2 beaten eggs seasoned with salt and pepper. Mix and stir the eggs with the tortillas until the eggs are set. Finish the chilaquiles with a little crumbled queso fresco.