Austin’s Iconic Breakfast Tacos
As the New York Times recently pointed out, Austin is the center of the universe when it comes to breakfast tacos. Trailers, bodegas and restaurants all over town serve up cheap, delicious tacos containing everything from purple corn, nopales and avocado to black beans, fried potatoes and bacon. As amazing as the local fare is, though, its still tough to beat what you can make to your own taste at home, using fresh, local ingredients.
This 5-minute creation consists of local, pastured eggs, queso Añejo, crumbled chorizo with jalapeños, onions and grape tomatoes, fresh cilantro and hot sauce on a freshly-made cayenne tortilla. Yum!
Homemade Breakfast Tacos
Ben Sklar for The New York Times
Tuscan White Bean Soup
How to turn a can of beans into a healthy, hearty meal..
Recipe serves two
1 BPA-free can of organic cannelloni beans, drained, liquid reserved
1/4 head organic green cabbage, cut into large dice
3 large cloves organic garlic, coarsely chopped
2 inches mid-section organic leeks, sliced
2 stalks organic celery, leaves included, sliced
1 organic carrot, diced
3 inches Spanish chorizo, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh sage
olive oil
pastured butter
chicken stock
marjoram, parsley, sea salt and cracked pepper
Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage and cook until browned, about 2 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon pastured butter, carrots and celery and sauté 2 minutes.
Add garlic, chorizo and leeks and sauté 2 minutes more.
Add beans and enough chicken stock and reserved liquid to almost cover. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, fry slices of crusty bread in pastured butter with marjoram and parsley.
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with parsley and bits of roasted red pepper, serve with warm croûtons.
Chorizo con Huevos (late dinner)
Also see here
Thick, home made corn tortillas, chorizo fresca (fresh pork sausage), eggs, onions, peppers, tomatoes, cilantro and queso cotija (a salty, dry grating cheese somewhat like parmesan).
Make your own corn tortillas if you possibly can- they are just so much better than store bought.
Use good, fresh chorizo- the ingredients should include nothing but pork, vinegar, salt and spices. If you can’t get authentic chorizo in your area, Chorizo de San Manuel in Edinburg, Texas can ship it to you.
Remove sausage from casing and cook in a heavy pan over medium heat, breaking it apart with the side of a wooden spoon. When the sausage is nearly done (about 8 minutes), add a finely diced jalapeño and some chopped onion and tomato and cook until soft, about 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile, press some tortillas (ground field corn, water and lime), toast on a comal and keep warm.
Add eggs lightly beaten with a tablespoon of goat milk and some fresh cilantro to the sausage and scramble until eggs are set.
Serve eggs over tortillas and top with queso cotija. Pass hot sauce.
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