The CookMobile » Breakfasts

Papas con Chorizo Omelet (Potatoes and Sausage Omelet)

Lalaine — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:05:58 +0000

The nursing facility I work at sits at the heart of San Fernando Valley and is roughly 40 miles from my house. My commute to work involves a torturous one hour-and-a-half bumper-to-bumper traffic through one of Southern California’s busiest freeways and what keeps me company (and sane) during the drive is my car radio. Every workday, you will find me in my vehicle from 7:30 am to 9:00 AM mercilessly slaughtering the songs of Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Kelly Clarkson, unmindful of the misery my laborious singing invoked to fellow commuters on the road, while chugging on my daily ritual of ice-cold Diet Coke. On one of such mornings last week, the DJ of the station I was tuned in took the line of songs to a pause and started talking about the success of Michael Jackson’s This is It movie. As he piled praises upon praises on the dead singer, calling him “music icon”, King of Pop” and every grand salutation possible, I couldn’t help but mutter to myself, “Jackass, did you not call him Wacko Jacko just a few days before he died?” I mean, c’mon, how useless can this DJ’s words be when the person meant to appreciate them is now six feet under? A tad too late, don’t you think? Where were all these accolades when Michael Jackson was slowly receding to a lonely world of masks, gloves and chimpanzees? Forgive me for ranting here, but I just find it mighty sad that right before everyone’s eyes, he literally became a white ghost of his former self and no one cared other than to laugh and to ridicule. So, here’s my thing, if you are one of those who plan to mourn at my grave in my death, send me flowers, twirl me on the dance floor, whisper I am loved TODAY. Do it now while I can still smell the fragrance of the petals, while my limbs can still waltz, while I can still hear the beating of thy heart. And here’s my other thing, if you are one of those who plan to win the Chef’s Secret 10pc Surgical Stainless Steel 12-Element Cookware Set I am giving away, please subscribe, link to the post or leave a comment TODAY. Do it now while the contest in still open! If there is one lesson I have learned well enough, it is that we should live without procrastination and love without hesitation, as sometimes, life does not give second chances.

Well, sometimes, life does give second chances. That is if you are this papas con chorizo I cooked yesterday for breakfast. This dish managed to shine and re-shine on my table in three ways of deliciousness: by itself as a side for scrambled eggs, between a layer of fluffy eggs as an omelet, and enveloped in a flour tortilla as a breakfast burrito. Gourmet reincarnation at its best!

Ingredients

1 lb Mexican pork chorizo
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed to 3/4-inch cubes
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and julienned
1 tsp of oil
salt

Procedure

In a pot, cook diced potatoes in boiling salted water until tender yet firm. Drain from water and set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot. Add in chorizo and fry until its fat becomes oil, using back of spoon to crumble.

Add onions and jalapenos. Continue to cook and stir until onions are translucent and softened.

Add diced potatoes and continue to cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Stir well to combine potatoes with chorizo mixture. Serve hot as a side dish or proceed to following steps:

For Papas con Chorizo Omelet:
In a bowl and with a fork, beat 4 eggs with a tbsp of water until combined. In a skillet, melt about a teaspoon or two of butter over medium heat. Make sure to coat bottom of skillet well. Pour beaten egg mixture into skillet and allow to set on the bottom. As the eggs begin to set, use a spatula to push in edges of the setting eggs to allow the uncooked egg mixture on top to flow underneath. When the bottom is begining to set but the top is still slightly liquid, layer potato-chorizo mixture on one side of the eggs. Using the spatula, fold the other half over filling to form an omelet. Gently slide onto plate. Serve hot with salsa of choice.

For Papas con Chorizo Burritto:
In a slightly oiled pan or in the microwave, warm flour tortillas. Layer potato-mixture in bottom third of tortilla and fold flaps to enclose filling and to seal gaps. Serve with salsa of choice.

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Recipes from Across the Border in The CookMobile Archive:

Chilaquiles

The Tale of Two Mexican Salsas

I am in Love. With a Puppy. And Chilaquiles, too.

Lalaine — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:20:41 +0000

Sometimes, loneliness happens. Your husband of many years walks away and builds another life elsewhere. Your only daughter turns 18 and begins to embark on a journey all her own. Suddenly, you find yourself almost empty-nested, and at most nights, staring into a space of nothingness. Well-meaning bestfriends advise, “find a boyfriend”. You’re like, “Heck, I need a dog.” What difference really, between a man and a mutt? They both whine when hungry, they give sloppy kisses, their barks are worst than their bites, they pee on their hind legs, they’ll hump anything in sight. The dog, at least, does not talk back.

Isn’t she adorable? Her name is Adriana, a 6-inch long and 4-inch high gift from my friend, Benny. I’ve had her barely a day and I love her already. And the way she’s snuggled between my feet now, gently gnawing on my toes with her baby canine teeth, what do you know? I think she loves me, too. Amazing, never thought a little ball of fur can fill so much of this gaping hole on my chest.

Since she had me up this morning at 3 AM with her constant whimpering, I decided to might as well celebrate her terrier and chihuahua descent and post this chilaquiles dish we made at work a few days ago. Chilaquiles [chee-lah-KEE-lehs], traditionally served as a breakfast or brunch item, is a classic Mexican comfort food. Fast, simple, and often referred to as a poor man’s dish, it is the perfect way to make use of stale corn tortillas and leftover sauces. The version below is pretty basic but can certainly be made more substantial by adding pulled chicken and scrambled eggs into the mix and by topping with queso fresco or sour cream.

Ingredients

1 dozen stale corn tortillas, cut into quarters
2 cups salsa verde or salsa roja
1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
cilantro, finely chopped
vegetable oil

Procedure

Cut tortillas into quarters or strips. Use stale tortillas or if using fresh ones, dry in a warm oven for a few minutes before proceeding. This step will ensure that the tortillas won’t disintegrate when combined with the sauce.

In a skillet, heat about an inch of oil until hot but not smoking. In batches, deep fry corn tortillas until golden in color and crisp in texture. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Prepare your choice of either salsa roja or salsa verde.

In another skillet, heat about a tablespoon oil. Saute onions until translucent. Pour in sauce and cook for several minutes. Add in fried tortilla strips, turning pieces until well-coated with sauce. Continue to cook until tortilla strips are slightly softened, around 2 to 3 minutes.

Add grated cheese. Continue to cook and turn until cheese is melted. Spoon onto serving plates and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Salsa Verde
Makes about 3 Cups

1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husks removed
7 jalapenos, stemmed
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
5 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro (about 1 cup), coarsely chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
water
salt to taste

In a saucepan, place tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer until ingredients are softened.

Place cooked tomatillos, jalapenos, and garlic, 1/2 cup of the boiling liquid, onions, cilantro, lime and salt to taste in a blender or food processor. Pulse to desired consistency. Adjust salt as needed. Keep in refrigerator to cool and to allow flavors to meld.

Salsa Roja
Makes about 3 Cups

8 tomatoes, cored
1/2 cup chili arbol
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 cup water
salt to taste

In a heavy, thick-bottomed, ungreased skillet, arrange tomatoes and roast over low heat until softened. Check and turn tomatoes regularly. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a very hot skillet, toast chilies until aromatic, about 1 minute. Check and turn continuously to prevent burnt spots. Remove chilies from heat and allow to cool enough to handle. Discard stems and remove most or some of the seeds depending on the piquancy desired. Remember, the narrower the chili arbol, the hotter.

Combine roasted tomatoes and chili peppers, garlic, water and salt to taste in a blender or food processor. Pulse thoroughly, adding more water as needed to achieve desired thickness. Keep in the refrigerator to cool and to allow flavors to meld.

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Recipes from Across the Border in The CookMobile Archive:

Guacamole

Chicken, Caramelized Onions and Gouda Quesadilla

Other Cool Ways to Use Leftover Tortillas

Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
Tortilla Quiche
Chicken Tortilla Soup

Pork Tocino

Lalaine — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:35:04 +0000

Tocino, which literally means “pork”, is a usual Filipino breakfast offering and is typically served as a “silog-type” meal, with sides of garlic fried rice, sunny side up eggs, and spicy vinegar dip to complete the experience.

In the early years of meat curing when adequate temperatures for food safety could not be guaranteed, it was very common in tocino-making to use saltpeter (potassium nitrate) as preserving element. Nitrates have long been used in meat processing to preserve color and retard microbial growth. However, the advent of modern refrigeration and observance of proper food preparation techniques make it unnecessary to utilize such compounds in prolonging the life of foods. Homemade tocino prepared in sanitary practices and stored in appropriate freezer conditions will keep well for a reasonable amount of time. The typical vibrant red color of the meat has no flavor contribution and is primarily an aesthetic factor. I used annatto extract as my colorant but a few drops of red food color will also do the trick.

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 lbs pork butt, sliced thinly and cut to serving portions
3/4 cup 7-up or Sprite
1 tsp pepper
3 tsp salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 cup sugar
2 to 3 drops red food coloring

Procedure

Combine all ingredients together. Adjust coloring as desired. Allow to stand in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours to allow flavors to permeate meat. It can also be stored in the freezer for later use.

To prepare, place in a wide and deep skillet with around two cups of water. Simmer until meat is tender and water has evaporated. Add 2 to 3 tbsps oil and continue to cook until meat has caramelized, moving in pan regularly to prevent from burning.

Alternatively, tocino slices can be pan-fried directly in around one inch of oil. However, note that the amount of seasonings used to cure meat may need to be adjusted in this method.

Truly Pinoy Recipes in The CookMobile Archive:

Mini Egg Pies (Custard Pies)

Nilagang Baka (Beef Shank Soup)

Clean-Your-Fridge Egg Omelet

Lalaine — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:12:15 +0000

This egg omelet can be pulled with almost anything in the refrigerator. Have leftover crisp bacon from breakfast or chicken strips from yesterday’s lunch? Dump it in! The possibilities are almost limitless. I used today black prince tomatoes, feta cheese, bacon, zucchini and green onions but I see the wonderful makings of spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, scallions, mozzarella cheese and sausage my next time around with this zero-fuss egg dish. I baked the omelet in a silicone muffin pan but mixture can be poured and baked in a baking dish or on a prepared pie crust for an easy breakfast quiche.

Makes 9 Servings

Ingredients

4 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 zucchini, chopped
2 strips of bacon, finely chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsps green onions, chopped
salt and pepper

Procedure

Grease a 9-hole muffin pan.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Saute chopped bacon until oil is rendered and bacon crisps. Remove bacon fat except 2 tbsps from pan. Stir in onions. Continue to cook until onions are softened, around 1 to 2 minutes.

Add in tomatoes and zucchini. Cook until vegetables are tender, yet crisp.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Mix in cheese. Season egg mixture with salt and pepper.

Combine vegetable and egg mixtures. Spoon into individual muffin until holes are three-fourths full. Sprinkle chopped green onions on top.

Bake at 375F degrees until mixture sets, browns lightly and pulls slightly from sides of pan, around 10 to 15 minutes.

Recipes for Morning Fuel in The CooKMobile Archive:

Ginisang Carne Norte (Sauteed Corned Beef)

Pork Tocino

Shrimp and Mushroom Omelet with Deep-Fried Leeks

Lalaine — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:30:58 +0000

Much has been said and written about breakfast being the most important meal of the day. Not only does this first meal refuels the body and breaks the 8-12 hour fast, it also helps with weight management efforts by preventing binge-eating and by curbing appetite later in the day. The problem is, in a toss up between drooling over food and drooling on sheets at 7AM, I’ll pick the latter. I love to sleep and and my answer to my family’s regular request for a decent plate of eggs and bacon in the morning? DREAM ON! I love them dearly but sorry, I need my full eight hours of sleep so I can continue to work a full-time job, to cook and wash dishes, to launder and iron their clothes, to clean and pick up after them…

Our usual weekday breakfast pattern at home is a bowl of cereal for my daughter, coffee picked up from the gas station on the way to work for hubby and me. Our weekend ritual is bed till ten and delicious deep-fried tofu at a nearby dimsum house by eleven.

Today, however, was a nice suprise for my beloved duo. My hubby and daughter pleasantly awakened to the inviting aroma of this delicious shrimp and mushroom omelet at 7 AM! And what roused me from my blankets? A full bladder. At 5 AM, I left my bed to meet the need to void and in the process was abandoned by sleep. I brewed myself some coffee, spiked the java with Stok, enjoyed the sunrise (it was very Folger’s commercial-like!) and went a-chopping.

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients

6 large eggs
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
1 lb raw jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 leek, trimmed and sliced
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsps cornstarch
4 tbsps sunflower oil
1/2 cup additional leek, sliced to strips
3 tbsps water

Procedure

In a bowl, combine cornstarch and salt. Toss in shrimp to fully coat.

Meanwhile, heat around 1 each of sunflower oil in a wide skillet or pan. Deep-fry strips of leek until golden brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Set aside.

Spoon out oil from pan, leaving only around 2 tbsps oil. Add the other sliced leeks and stir-fry for around 3 minutes. Add coated shrimp to pan and stir fry until almost cooked through for around 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and bean sprouts and stir fry for another 2 minutes.

Beat eggs lightly with the water. Pour egg mixture over sauteed vegetables. Cook until the egg is just set. Carefully turn omelet over once. Turn omelet out onto a clean board and divide into 6 servings. Garnish with deep-fried leeks. Serve hot.

TIP:
Omelet can be divided and prepared in six individual batches after vegetables have been sauteed.

Fish and Seafood Recipes in the Archive:

Spaghetti with Creme Fraiche and Smoked Salmon

Shrimp and Vegetable Soup

Zucchini and Cheese Omelet

Lalaine — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 05:06:41 +0000

A few years ago, I got pretty hooked on a high-protein diet. Wow, Did the pounds peel off! I dropped close to 40 pounds in three months by making wiser food choices and revving up my exercise program. As all accomplishments, I had so much background support. A friend to go to the gym with, a husband who enticed with sexy little purchases for me from Victoria’s Secret, Billy Banks shouting for one more abdominal crunch, and a cook named Gregoria.

Gregoria was one of my cooks at the hospital I worked at. She has seen me pack weight from one year to the next year ending at 180 pounds at my heaviest. Fat people are happy. Sure I was. On most days, that is. But not when I am panting trying to zip the pants I just have to have at Macy’s. Not when the soles of my feet are crying with carrying too much of me. And certainly not when my husband’s eyeballs furtively dart to the corner to take a peek at a passing trim gal. No cause for divorce, just a mean fact of life. When I made the conscious decision to take control, Gregoria was way too happy to help. Every morning, I’ll have a waiting breakfast of omelet, warm tortilla and salsa at my desk!

Makes 1 serving

3 egg whites
2 tbps fresh zucchini, sliced to matchsticks
1 tbsp mozzarella cheese
1 tsp onions, finely chopped
Vegetable oil
Aerosol oil spray

Saute onions in pan with a little vegetable oil until translucent. Add zucchini strips. Do not overcook. Remove from pan.

Whisk egg whites.

Spray pan with aerosol oil spray. Pour egg to pan. Wait until the sides set slightly.

Add zucchini and onions onto eggs. Sprinkle cheese.

Flip egg to form omelet. Top with tomato salsa or hot sauce for extra kick. Serve with a warm corn tortilla on the side.

Tips:
1) Make sure skillet is hot so you’ll require less oil to keep eggs from sticking.
2) I love zucchini but sliced fresh mushrooms, diced bell peppers, and shredded carrots are also amazing variations.
3) You can use other type of cheeses-cheddar, monterey, swiss. etc.
4) Note that portions of ingredients are small. You are cooking for one. I think that’s the best key for weight management. No deprivation, just moderation.

Recipes for Morning Fuel in The CookMobile Archive:

Ginisang Carne Norte (Sauteed Corned Beef)

Shrimp and Mushroom Omelet with Deep-Fried Leeks

Ginisang Carne Norte (Sauteed Corned Beef)

Lalaine — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 04:53:54 +0000

My husband has been suffering with flu for the past few days. Unfortunately, viruses love to jump from one person to the next as I am now also miserable with runny nose, sore throat and achy joints!

When my daughter left at 7:30 AM for school today, I was still in bed trying to sleep in my cold for an extra couple of hours. But when I got up around ten o’ clock, I was still feeling wozzy and I decided to call in at work for the rest of the day. She walked in back from school at around two in the afternoon and found me lying on the sofa, half-watching a soap opera on The Filipino Channel and sipping a cup of lemon-flavored TheraFlu. The poor kid was ravenous and went straight to the refrigerator to heat up one of the “tupperware meals” I prepared for her last Sunday. “Chicken again?” she laments. The four dishes I cooked were chicken afritada, chicken curry, paksiw na bangus (which she is not very fond of) and miswa-and-meatball soup. You know what they say, a mother will walk on coals for her child. I unwillingly dragged myself from the comforts of my blankets into the kitchen to fix her lunch. But love her with my life as I may, no depth of affection will enable me to whip up a gourmet meal at this wretched state. She’s having canned corned beef. And with the way I am feeling, this is what hubby is having for dinner as well.

This dish is popularly known here in the U.S. as corned beef hash, basically just chopped up meat cooked with onions, potatoes and spices. It’s traditionally served for breakfast with eggs, a side of toast and hashbrowns. I am not really partial to the ground-up mess of canned hash. And I certainly am not a big fan of U.S. brands of canned corned beef either. I like mine chunky, with recognizable large strands of beef. My mother, who visits here from the Philippines every 6 months, brings a supply of Purefoods corned beef for me to stock for “emergencies” such as today.

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

16 oz canned corned beef (preferably Purefoods brand)
1 large potato, peeled and sliced to strips or cut into small cubes
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 cups water
vegetable oil
salt and pepper

Procedure

Heat oil in a skillet. Fry potato pieces until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.

Saute onions until translucent.

Add corned beef, separating meat with back of spoon.

Pour in water. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Add potatoes. Simmer for an addititional 2-3 minutes until potatoes are tender. Serve hot with sides of poached eggs and garlic fried rice or as filling for pandesal (dinner rolls).

Recipes for Morning Fuel in The CookMobile Archive

Clean-Your-Fridge Egg Omelet

Pork Tocino