Here at Casa del Whacko in beautiful downtown Spring, TX, just across the sewage canal from the creosote plant we sho nuff believes that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And that brings us to todays cull in airy escapade.
Now I'm sure all you swells out there enjoy a breakfast of Beef Wellington Pastry Wrapped with Truffles warshed down with a couple a quarts of Don Pearignon.
But the day drunks and lay abouts who haunt the High Ceiling, the premier, (and only), hydration station in beautiful downtown Spring, TX, just across the sewage canal from the creosote plant, want eatables they can scarf down quickly on the go. Sumpin embracing bread, meat, eggs, taters and cheese would approach mother’s milk to them.
Everbody knows how to knock up bacon, eggs and biscuits but that’s only 60 % of a breakfast, lacking taters and cheese.
So enter the humble breakfast taco.
But even those premier nutriments can be ruined by bland, mushy taters. And so, to assuage any hesitation vis a vis unacceptable tubers please find below…
Tex-Mex Breakfast Potatoes
Ingredients
3 large red or gold potatoes 1-1/2 Tbl unsalted butter 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
1 c diced onion 1 tsp kosher salt 1/4 c diced green chilies
1/2 c diced green pepper 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 Tbl tomato paste
2 cloves garlic minced 1 Tbl lo sodium taco seasoning 1/4 c diced tomatoes (optional)
1-1/2 Tbl bacon grease 2/3 tsp smoked paprika 2 Tbl cilantro leaves, chopped
Directions
Dice potatoes in jackets, 3/4 inch, (2 cm). Bring 2 qts of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, return to the boil for 6 - 7 min. Drain & steam dry for 5 – 7 minutes. Potatoes must be dry in order to crisp, otherwise they steam. Pat the potatoes dry w/ a kitchen towel. Bring the skillet to temp over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon bacon grease and 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. When the butter stops foaming reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute or until color darkens to your liking. Add the onion, green pepper, green chilies and tomatoes if using. Sauté for 3 – 5 minutes until onions become translucent and veggies give up their liquid. Add the garlic, black pepper, taco seasoning, paprika and oregano. Sauté for 1 minute or until spices bloom. Remove the veggie/spice/oil mix to a bowl. Add the remaining bacon grease and butter to the skillet. Increase heat to medium – high. When the butter stops foaming add the potatoes and salt. Stir so the potatoes are coated in the oils. Arrange potatoes in a single layer. Do not disturb for 4 minutes. Turn potatoes. Again, arrange potatoes in a single layer. Do not disturb for 4 minutes. Turn potatoes. Arrange potatoes in a single layer. Do not disturb for 2 minutes. Repeat until you think the potatoes are done enough, probably 12 – 15 minutes. Add back the spices and veggies. Add the cilantro leaves. Stir so the potatoes are coated in the spices and the veggies are incorporated.
Serve as a side w/ tocino, chorizo o jamon y huevos or use in filling tacos con tocino o chorizo, huevo, patata, frijoles y queso… con salsa!
Cuzzin Cletus says, "So good it'll make ya lay down and scream."
