Breakfast Burritos for Cinco de Mayo

Breakfast burritos have been on my mind, ever since we visited Bob's cousins in Elko, Nevada while on our recent RV road trip.  We had a lovely visit and enjoyed catching up with family and introducing our sons to some of their second cousins.  While there, we took a tour of the town, stopping for breakfast at a local burrito spot.  The breakfast burritos we ordered were filled with scrambled eggs and potatoes, with the option to add cheese.  When I unwrapped my (enormous) burrito, I discovered a homemade tortilla, stuffed with eggs and diced potatoes and three flavorful salsas to dollop on top.  Simple, fresh, delightful.  A delicious breakfast before we got back on the road.

Inspired by this burrito and the approach of Cinco de Mayo, I made breakfast burritos when we returned home to Seattle.  We love Mexican food, tied only with sushi as our family favorite, and we welcome any opportunity to indulge in it.  Since this burrito is all about simple ingredients, you want to make sure they shine.  First, I looked for the best quality tortillas I could find (making homemade would be even better - on my list!) and heated them until they puffed and turned a bit brown (but don't turn away like I did and set off the smoke detector!).  I then diced some Yukon Gold potatoes and fried them - in butter - until softened but still firm.  Last, I softly scrambled eggs from our hens - again, in butter.  (By the way, if you are ever making scrambled eggs for a crowd, Oven Scrambled Eggs are the ones to turn to. The recipe can easily be cut in half, too.  You are guaranteed a pan of fluffy eggs for your guests!)

A platter of sliced avocado, diced tomatoes, green onions and roasted chiles gave everyone the option to add what they liked.   A dash of hot sauce and we dove in!  They were a hit, and brought a slice of Elko back to our Seattle lives.

Breakfast Burritos
Makes 2 (easily doubles)

8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 large or 2 small), diced into small pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large flour tortillas
Your favorite hot sauce or salsa

Optional toppings:
Shredded cheese
Sliced avocado
Roasted chiles
Diced green onions
Diced tomatoes

In a large, non-stick saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Add the diced potatoes and stir to coat with butter.  Let the potatoes cook for about 10 minutes, stirring a few times, until they are softened and a little browned but still firm.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from pan and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs until well stirred.  Add a dash of salt.  Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. When melted, pour the eggs in and gently stir them with a rubber spatula.  Keep stirring until they form a fluffy pile and remove from the heat while they are still shiny so they don't over cook and dry out.  Remove eggs from the pan and add to the potatoes.

Set the pan over medium-high heat and lay a tortilla flat on it.  When it puffs up (in under a minute) flip and warm the other side.  Remove and fill with half the eggs and potatoes.  Quickly warm the second tortilla and fill with remaining eggs and potatoes.  Serve with hot sauce or salsa and your chosen toppings.  Wrap them up and enjoy!

Celebrating My Husband with Tortilla Soup

As Bob’s birthday was nearing this week, I asked what he would like me to make for dinner to celebrate. He requested a Mexican feast which, given his Southern California roots and love of spicy food, was not a surprise. Happy to oblige! Mexican is a family favorite (tied with sushi) and often is our choice for a festive meal.

I just have to say, Bob is the most rewarding person for me to cook for ... he is my biggest fan, giving me praise and support and honest feedback when I create new recipes, make old favorites or dive into a new cookbook. He endures food crazes I subject the family to (ask him about the fennel phase ...) and enthusiastically sits down to dinner every night. I’m proud to say he has developed a very good palate and savors subtle flavors most others would miss. Anytime I’m talking about food (which is - well, most of the time!) he listens intently and takes a moment to think about each ingredient I toss out so he can picture what I’m proposing.

When I began to ponder starting a food blog, Bob immediately encouraged me to take the leap and jump into food writing. He encourages me to challenge myself, to grow and discover, allowing me to strive to be the best I can. No matter what I say I’d like to do in life, he’s right there to help me figure out how to make it happen. He is truly inspiring and always ready for a new adventure. Needless to say, life is exciting with him!

So, for his birthday dinner, I wanted to dazzle Bob with his favorites. Tortilla soup is a top pick for him and was on the menu along with tacos, pickled tomatillos, salsas, pickled red onions, refried beans and oregano roasted potatoes.

I began making tortilla soup after reading a recipe Amanda Hesser shared in the Food Diary section of the New York Times magazine. While on vacation in Mexico, she and her family stayed in a house with a local cook who prepared a tortilla soup that they enjoyed. I immediately made the recipe and it became a keeper. I’ve since played with it a bit, roasting the tomatoes and increasing the number of chilies and amount of lime juice. Garnished with sliced avocado and crispy fried tortilla strips, it is an earthy, deeply flavored bowl of smoky heat.

Cheers to my husband!

(White sangria, anyone? Mix together a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, two cups of peach lemonade, fresh raspberries, some sliced peaches, strawberries and limes and you have a pitcher for your fiesta!)

Tortilla Soup
Adapted from a recipe in the New York Times magazine (3/31/02)
By Amanda Hesser
Serves 8

3 dried ancho chilies, stems removed
4 dried guajillo or pasilla chilies, stems removed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
24 corn tortillas, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
2 large onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 pound roma tomatoes, sliced in half, roasted in the oven until softened and beginning to turn black at the edges (this is an optional step, you can also just chop the fresh tomatoes and use as is)
10 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 quart vegetable broth
3 limes, juice 2 of them and cut the 3rd into wedges for serving
Salt to taste
2 avocadoes, sliced for garnish

Toast the chilies in a saucepan over medium heat (until their skin colors and bubbles, don’t let them burn). Move the chilies to a bowl and cover with warm water (about 2 cups) to rehydrate them.

Pour about a 1/4 inch of vegetable oil into the same saucepan. In batches, fry the tortilla strips until they are crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels.

In a large soup pot (I use an 8 quart), add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Remove from the heat.

Drain the chilies (save the soaking water!) and roughly chop them. Add the chilies, roasted tomatoes and cherry tomatoes to the onions and garlic and stir. Pour in the vegetable broth and about 3/4 of the fried tortilla strips. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth (being very careful since it’s hot). Warm the soup over low heat. The soup will be thick so you can thin it with the chili soaking water to your liking (I add about 2 cups). Add in the lime juice and salt to taste.

Serve the soup garnished with reserved tortilla strips, sliced avocado and limes.