Papas con Chorizo

Ice Cream for breakfast? Yeah – maybe great if you are a child, but most adults need a bit more than Ice Cream for breakfast, even if it is a National Day.

I know I’ve said this before, but I truly love our life these days. Hubby and I began our married life about an hour north of here. After nine years of of married life living not far from where I had grown up, we moved to Las Vegas. Fourteen yeas later, we moved back to California and my home town. While it was great to be on familiar turf, life had other plans. It’s funny how you can get an idea in your head about a place and be so very wrong.

Just as Hubby’s career changes relocated us to Las Vegas, his career took us to this place. At first I was not happy. The central valley town we moved to had a reputation and it wasn’t good. I’m sure the people who called this place home would disagree, but those on the outside thought Modesto was the armpit of the whole central valley if you will. I don’t really know why. You would have thought with the popularity of American Graffiti way back when, that people would have taken a more nostalgic view. They didn’t. The last place I could imagine living was Modesto. Yet Hubby commuting two hours a day just so I could stay put in my home town just wasn’t practical Like it or not we relocated. The reaction from everyone I knew was “Modesto? Really – are you serious?”

Yet it wasn’t long before living here changed my mind. Modesto is big enough to offer the convenience of a city without actually being a big city. The town is spread out, yet you are never far from orchards or farm country. There are plenty of restaurants, some amazingly good although none is a Five-Star establishment. Most are casual or middle of the road. There’s a variety of cuisines to choose from, with the exception of French. I don’t think there is a French restaurant within a 100 miles of here. I’m not sure if there are more diner joints or Mexican restaurants to pick from.

Not 15 minutes south-west of our home is an area of town known as Little Mexico. The billboards and store front signs are in Spanish. There’s a taco truck on every corner. And let me tell you, those are best tacos you can buy.

On a recent shopping trip to Little Mexico, I had the most amazing Papas con Chorizos. It was spicy, satisfying and oh so delicious. There was only one thing to do – buy some Chorizo at the Mexican Market and recreate this awesome dish at home. My guys loved it.

Papas con Chorizo
1/2 lb Chorizo
1-1/2 tablespoons Bacon Drippings
16 oz bag Diced Potatoes
2 small Serrano Pepper
1/4 Yellow Onion
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
6 small Flour Tortillas
3 whole Roasted Padrón Peppers
1 whole Avocado
Cilantro for garnish
Optional
6 Fried Eggs

Cook chorizo in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sausage turns a dark red, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove chorizo from the skillet and set aside.

While the chorizo cooks, stem and chop serrano pepper, set aside. Quarter onion, peel 1/4, dice and set aside.

Melt bacon grease in the now empty skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add diced potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add diced onion and serrano pepper and continue cooking and stirring until potatoes are fork-tender, onion is translucent, and serrano pepper is soft, about 6 more minutes. Add chorizo back into skillet and stir until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Warm tortillas in a skillet, keep warm until ready to serve. In a dry cast iron skillet, roast whole Padrón peppers to blister. Keep warm.

Cut Avocado, remove seed, peel and slice into wedges. Snip cilantro, scatter over Papas con Chorizo. Arrange avocado slices over the top.

If desired, fry eggs to serve along side the Papas con Chorizo.

To serve, fill tortillas with the Papas filling. Garnish plates roasted peppers. Serve with fried eggs.

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Turns out I made more Papas con Chorizo than the three of us could finish. There was just enough left over for breakfast for one (and that would be me) the following morning.

Papas con Chorizo y Huevo Frito
Olive Oil
1 cup prepared Papas con Chorizo
1 Egg
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Lightly oil a small cast iron skillet. Heat skillet over medium-low heat.

Add Papas con Chorizo to the skillet, pushing it around the edge to create a well in the center.

Crack egg into a bowl, then pour egg into the center of the well. Cover and let cook until egg begins to set.

Place skillet in the oven with broiler on HIGH for 2 minutes to finish setting egg while keeping yolk cream.

Remove from oven, season with salt and pepper. Serve in the skillet and enjoy.

Note: You could make the Papas con Chorizo the day before, then finish in individual skillets for a beautiful presentation the following day. Serve with toast points or tortillas as desired.