LAMORINDA WEEKLY | A taco twist to the breakfast burrito


Breakfast tacos Photo Susie Iventosch

My son and I love to have breakfast for dinner on occasion, and this dish is one that lends itself well to that. It's also a great meal for a Sunday brunch gathering. Breakfast burritos are all the rage, so why not breakfast tacos? This recipe has tons of flexibility, in that you can cook your eggs any way you like them, or you can even use egg whites or egg beaters. Also, you can choose bacon, sausage or no meat at all and add the grated cheese of your choice. And, finally, whether you like corn or flour tortillas, either work just fine.

I prefer eggs scrambled, and then I add grated cheese, finely chopped poblano peppers and sautéed onions to the eggs before cooking them. As a final touch, fresh salsa made from poblano peppers, jalapenos, diced fresh tomatoes and cilantro gives a little zing.

Hash browns go well in or out of the taco as do refried beans. Actually, this is not so much a recipe, as it is a fun idea. You can literally serve up a smorgasbord of options and let your guests create their own, as they roll through the serving line!

For 6 Servings (2 tacos per person)

INGREDIENTS

Tacos

12 taco-sized flour or corn tortillas

2-3 Tbsp. olive oil

12 eggs (or equivalent)

2 Tbsp. butter (for cooking eggs)

1 cup grated mixed Mexican cheese, divided

1 poblano pepper

1 onion, chopped and sautéed

12 strips bacon, cooked, or

12 breakfast sausages, cooked and sliced

1 recipe salsa (below)

Fresh sprigs of cilantro for garnish

Salsa

1 poblano pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced

6 tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, stems removed

Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in pan and cook tortillas until heated through and beginning to brown, flip to other side. Fold in half and place on a baking sheet in a low-temperature oven, 200 F, until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, cook bacon and/or sausage and keep warm in oven along with tortillas.

When all of that is ready, start cooking the eggs with 1/4 cup cheese, peppers and sautéed onions, and give the 5-minute warning to everyone. As soon as the eggs are cooked, place them in the serving line with the tortillas, breakfast meats, grated cheese and salsa and have everyone come and make their tacos exactly how they like them! Garnish with sprigs of cilantro.