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Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This Mexican dish, which dates back to the early Aztecs, is as delicious as it is easy to make. My fast-and-furious version uses prepared salsa and packaged tortilla chips for the quickest prep, but if you have a few extra minutes, it’s even more amazing when you make your own chips (see Quick Kitchen Nugget) and salsa—click to check out my salsa recipes. I love chilaquiles with fried eggs, but you can personalize your dish with another protein or beans. 

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 small onion, slivered
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups salsa (about 32 ounces), red or green
  • 4 cups tortilla chips
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 ounces queso fresco or cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 1 avocado, cut into small chunks
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Hot sauce 
  • Sour cream

Directions

Step 1

Heat a very large frying pan and, when hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onions, and the tomatoes. Sauté until the onions soften. Pour in the salsa and heat through. Add the chips and stir to coat; allow them to soften over low heat while you make the eggs.

Step 2

Heat a rimmed griddle over high heat and, when hot, pour in the remaining olive oil. Crack each egg into a separate area of the griddle and allow to fry, undisturbed, for 3 minutes.

Step 3

Spoon servings of the chilaquiles onto 4 plates and top with equal amounts of cheese, avocado, and cilantro. Use a wide spatula to top each portion with a fried egg and then drizzle with olive oil. Pass hot sauce and sour cream on the side.

Yields 4 servings

Bountiful Breakfast Quesadillas

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This take on a quesadilla makes a festive presentation for brunch, and you can customize it with ingredients you love best.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced 
  • 1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and finely diced 
  • 1 chile pepper, such as a poblano or a jalapeño, seeded and finely diced 
  • 6 eggs
  • 4 corn or whole-wheat tortillas 
  • 1-1/2 cups grated Manchego, Monterey Jack, or cheddar cheese, or a combination 
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1 avocado, cut into thin slices
  • Your favorite salsa

Directions

Step 1

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add two tablespoons of olive oil, the onions, and peppers. Sauté until the onions soften and turn a light brown. Whisk the eggs and add them to the pan; cook to a soft scramble.

Step 2

Heat a griddle over medium heat. When hot, drizzle on the remaining olive oil. Place two of the tortillas side by side on the griddle and layer on the ingredients, in this order, divided between the two: half of the cheese, the scrambled eggs, beans, avocado slices, and then the rest of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas and press down gently with a large spatula or cake lifter (see Quick Kitchen Nugget in Newsletter #154). 

Step 3

When the bottoms of the tortillas brown and the bottom layer of cheese has melted, flip them and continue cooking until the other cheese layer has melted. Transfer the quesadillas back to your cutting board and cut them into quarters. Serve with salsa as desired.

Yields 4 servings

Italian Breakfast Strata

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This breakfast strata is perfect when you’re entertaining overnight guests, as it can be assembled the night before baking. My version is vegetarian, but you can top the bread with cooked Italian sausage, diced ham, diced pepperoni, or cooked bacon before pouring the egg mixture over it.

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 8 ounces cremini or mixed mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and coarsely chopped
  • 1 small onion, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, trimmed, seeded, and diced
  • 9 eggs
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried basil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 cups day-old Italian bread, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
  • 12 pitted green or black olives, coarsely chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided use
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
  • 8 ounces baby arugula, spinach, or mixed greens
  • Cherry tomatoes, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms have given up their liquid and are beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes more. Let the mixture cool.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, mustard, and Italian seasoning. Whisk, adding
1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Step 3

Use one tablespoon of oil to coat the inside of a 9×13 baking dish. Arrange the bread in a single layer in the bottom. Top with the sautéed vegetables and the olives, followed by 1 cup of cheese. Evenly pour the egg mixture over the strata, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover the strata with foil and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

Step 4

When ready to cook, heat the oven to 350°F. Remove the foil from the strata and reserve. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Recover loosely with the foil and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until the center is puffy and the edges have browned.

Step 5

In the meantime, make a vinaigrette: Place 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Lightly dress the arugula with the vinaigrette. Let the strata sit for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Garnish each plate with the arugula and cherry tomatoes, if using.

Yields 10 servings

Foolproof Scrambled Eggs

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

A properly preheated frying pan makes fast work of scrambled eggs that stay tender. Black Urfa chili adds just the right amount of zest to the finished dish while the oregano adds brightness.

Ingredients

  • 8 large or extra-large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Black Urfa Chili and dried oregano

Directions

Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and then the beaten eggs. Let the edges firm for a few seconds, then lower the heat and use a spatula to scramble the eggs, drawing the outer edges in and keeping them moving to prevent browning. Take off the heat just before fully set and let sit for two minutes to finish cooking. Season to taste with the black Urfa chili and oregano, then drizzle with olive oil. 

Yields 4 servings