Migas For One-Breakfast Eggs With a Crunch

Migas isn't necessarily a New Mexican food, since the first time I had them was in a strip mall Mexican restaurant in Temecula, California. All I know is they were like my dad's scrambled eggs with a chewy crunch. Some people call them Tex-Mex; I just call them a great way to start a day.

Migas (MEE-gahs) is Spanish for crumbs, which in this case are corn tortillas. In a pinch, feel free to substitute some tortilla chips for the sauteed tortilla if you found some stale Doritos in the cupboard.

Harry's Roadhouse in Santa Fe serves the best migas around here: crunchy tortilla bits, creamy scrambled eggs, onion, bell peppers, a  spicy, vinegary pop from some pickled jalapenos, all topped with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese.  I've always thought of pickled jalapenos as a topping for nachos or something added to a sandwich, but cooked in scrambled eggs is inspired!

Since I am the only one who likes migas at our house, my recipe is for solo you. Before you start cooking, though, have a nice place mat on your table, your plate ready to receive your splendid breakfast, and if you have some leftover black beans, nuke them in the nuker for a nice side dish.

Migas For One

2 eggs
1 T milk
1 corn tortilla cut in half, each half cut into strips
2 T each chopped onion and green pepper
1 T finely chopped pickled jalapeno (you can leave this out if you want or substitute chopped green chiles)
1T (or a little more) olive oil or butter
shredded cheese, a little or a lot, it's up to you
your favorite salsa

Whisk the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Add a little salt and pepper for seasoning.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add your olive oil. Swirl it around like you know what you're doing. Add the tortilla strips and saute them until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.  Do not take a phone call and allow them to burn like I have done before. Remove tortilla strips from the skillet and set them aside on a paper towel. Add more oil if it's gone from the pan.

Saute the onion, green pepper and jalapeno over medium heat until onion is translucent and green pepper is crisp tender, about 3 minutes.

 Add the egg mixture to the pan where your onions and peppers are hanging out, waiting. Toss in the tortilla strips and gently scramble those babies!

When the egg mixture is almost scrambled to your liking, add some shredded cheddar.  Stir the eggs around the cheese so it starts to melt.  Slide your migas onto your plate, nuked black beans on the side.

Fancy people might add a dollop of sour cream.

Put on your Rodrigo y Gabriela cd and enjoy your Migas!