This gorgeous pile of NOM is known as the Nacho Fries, from Saturn Cafe in Santa Cruz. The picture is not mine, but the idea is; in ‘06 I was attending UCSC and lived one block from the saturn cafe. Many a drunken night we ended up at Saturn and I came to the same crossroads - their nachos were great, but the chips were mediocre. The seasoned fries were transcendent but only came w\ garlic, cheese or chili cheese. I could try and eat both, but my guts would hate me. Then, one night, I had a vision that changed my life forever: NACHO FRIES. The kitchen made them, and they were unreal. It became a weekly staple of my diet. I moved to NYC in ‘07, but recently several friends have told me that my signature dish is now officially on the menu. 

I first tried chilaquiles in Portland, Oregon in 2007. I’d never heard of them before, but as I surveyed the menu at Wild Abandon, my hungover stomach kept bringing my attention to a menu item called Ricardo’s Chilaquiles, which were described as fried corn tortillas smothered with eggs, cheese, onion, chiles, beans, and sour cream. “They sound like breakfast nachos!” I exclaimed to my friend Heather. “Should I get them?” “Ohhh, yes.” She replied. She’d lived in Mexico for the previous year, and she advised me that chilaquiles are one treat not found at many restaurants in America, but that they are one of the best dishes found in authentic Mexican cuisine. I’m glad I took her advice.   

Since then, I haven’t been able to find chilaquiles on any menu in my hometown of Boise, Idaho, but I have found many delicious chilaquiles recipes on the internet. One of my favorite, simple dinner chilaquiles recipes can be found here on Epicurious.

A few weeks ago I woke up with a bad craving for chilaquiles, but no idea whether I had the right ingredients in my kitchen. After a bit of rummaging and a few internet searches for recipes, I determined that I had the right stuff for a good plate of breakfast chilaquiles.  Here is the recipe I made up:

Breakfast Chilaquiles

(Serves 1-2 people)

1 handful chopped onion

1 1/2 tablespoon butter or oil

1 7-oz can Herdez salsa verde

Dash of cumin

Dash of garlic salt

Salt and pepper

2 or 3 handfuls tortilla chips

1 egg

1 handful grated cheddar jack cheese

2-3 tablespoons crema Mexicana OR a dollop of sour cream thinned with milk until it attains a pourable consistency  

Chopped cilantro as garnish (adjust quantity to your taste)

Heat ½ tablespoon butter or oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until onion becomes translucent. If it browns a bit, that’s okay. Stir in can of salsa, adding cumin, garlic salt, salt and pepper to taste. Let sauce cook on low while you prepare the tortilla chips.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add tortilla chips, turning to ensure all get coated and have time on the hot skillet surface. This step can probably be omitted since you are using pre-made chips instead of freshly-fried tortillas, however I suspect it helps the chips remain firm once saturated in salsa.

After about 2 minutes, add the salsa to the skillet, once again shifting the chips around to ensure they are evenly coated with salsa. Remove pan from heat and cover.  

Prepare the egg in whichever manner you prefer—I scrambled mine this time around, but I’ve seen many chilaquiles recipes that include fried eggs.

When the egg is almost done cooking, place the salsa-coated chips on a plate. Sprinkle some cheese on top of the chips, then place the egg on top. Sprinkle the rest of your cheese. Drizzle with crema and garnish with cilantro. Finish with salt, pepper, hot sauce, green onions, or whatever tickles your fancy.

Eat and pass out in a food coma.

Taco Riendo’s nachos especial minus jalapenos.

Philadelphia, PA.

Two weeks ago I was in San Diego and I had homemade guac 2x! My friend’s mom had bought little tiny avocados for the guac. They looked cute but there was no discernible difference in taste that I noticed. Here my friend Kera makes her standby recipe: avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, onions, salt and lime juice. She says the trick is not to mix it too much because she likes big hunks of avocados. I found it a perfect treat for any hour of the day:)

For more on my travels you can visit my blog: http://ididntpackforthis.wordpress.com/