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3 tablespoons EVOO
4 stale corn tortillas, cut into long narrow strips
2 tablespoons chopped mild onion
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
6 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup good-quality salsa
1/3 cup crumbled mild cheese
(eg) Monterey Jack or Brick
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, halved
1/4 cup Mexican crema, sour cream, or plain whole-milk yogurt (optional)
Instructions
1. Film a large saute pan with the olive oil, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil looks wavy. Add the tortilla strips and fry until they are beginning to crisp, about 1 minute. Don’t move them around too much; let them crisp on one side and then turn them.
2. Add the chopped onion and continue frying until the tortilla strips are crispy and nicely browned. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and spoon off any extra fat, reserving 1 tablespoon in the pan.
3. Return the pan to the burner, reducing the heat to medium. Move the majority of the strips to the edge of the pan, leaving about 3 inches clear in the center. Pour the eggs in the center and partially over the strips. Allow the eggs to set, and then gently pull them apart, letting the uncooked egg reach the surface of the pan. Once the eggs are firmly set, turn them in large pieces to finish cooking.
4. Serve with the salsa, cheese, slices of avocado, a squeeze of lime, and if you wish, the crema or sour cream.
Variations Stale tortillas are a must; fresh won’t crisp as well.
The recipe for this dish, at its most primal, begs for variations, so follow your heart: add shrimp, roasted chiles, olives, fresh herbs – you get the idea.
Notes From The Splendid Table’s How to Eat Supper:
Recipes, Stories, and Opinions from Public Radio’s Award-Winning Food Show by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2008).
Copyright 2008 by American Public Media.
