Baja eggs: add Mexican flair to easy brunch dishes

Sunset, Oct, 2004 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

From the patio of Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Mexico, the brilliant blue Sea of Cortez shimmers in the morning. At this luxurious resort, everything exudes a natural grandeur. Even the eggs pop with local Baja ingredients--fresh and dried chiles, homemade tortillas, and cheese. We've adapted these dishes from Las Ventanas for a great Sunday brunch back at home.

Scrambled-Egg Chiles Rellenos

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 40 minutes

MAKES: 6 servings

NOTES: Mild, dark green, triangular poblano chiles (sometimes mislabeled pasilla) are available in Latino markets and some supermarkets. Look for plump chiles with fairly straight sides. You can prepare the recipe through step 2 up to a day ahead; cover chiles and bacon separately and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing. The chile rings and oil can also be made a day ahead; store airtight at room temperature.

    6 fresh poblano chiles (4 to 5 oz. each; see notes)
    6 ounces bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
   12 large eggs
      About 1/2 teaspoon salt
      About 1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded jack cheese (6 oz.)
  1/3 cup thinly sliced chives or green onions
    4 tomatoes (6 oz. each), rinsed, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
      Crisp chile rings and oil (recipe follows; optional)

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

1. Rinse fresh chiles and pat dry. Place in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan and broil 2 to 3 inches from heat, turning chiles as needed, until blackened and blistered all over, 10 to 15 minutes. Let chiles cool about 15 minutes. Peel off as much of the skin as comes off readily. Cut a slit down one side of each chile; remove and discard seeds, leaving stems attached.

2. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over high heat, stir bacon until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour fat from pan into a bowl. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.

3. In a bowl, whisk eggs to blend with 1/3 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Set frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat; reserve remaining for another use or discard. When fat begins to sizzle, tilt pan to coat bottom. Add egg mixture and sprinkle with 1 cup cheese, chives, and the bacon. When a thin layer of egg is set on pan bottom, in about 30 seconds, push cooked egg toward one side of pan with a wide spatula, letting uncooked egg flow underneath. Continue cooking and pushing until eggs are softly set but still moist, 3 to 4 minutes total. Stir to turn eggs over. Remove from heat.

4. Arrange chiles, slit side up, in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Fill evenly with egg mixture. Sprinkle eggs with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake in a 400[degrees] oven until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange tomato slices on plates. With a wide spatula, set chiles on tomatoes. Sprinkle with cilantro and crisp chile rings, if using; drizzle with chili oil to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 387 cal., 60% (234 cal.) from fat; 24 g protein; 26 g fat (11 g sat.); 14 g carbo (2.7 g fiber); 634 mg sodium; 465 mg chol.

Crisp chile rings and oil. With a damp towel, wipe 1 dried guajillo or New Mexico chile (about 1/4 oz.) to clean. With scissors, cut off stem; shake out as many seeds as possible. Cut chile crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rings; drop into an 8- to 10-inch frying pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil and stir over medium heat until chile rings are crisp and beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes; take care not to scorch.

Scrambled-Egg Tacone

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 25 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

NOTES: At Las Ventanas, they call this substantial breakfast burrito a tacone (big taco). Serve it with hot refried or cooked whole pinto beans. Remove all or some of the seeds from jalapeno chiles for less heat, and wear rubber gloves to protect your hands when working with chiles.

9 large eggs
  About 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces cooked ham, chopped
4 ounces fresh jalapeno chiles, rinsed, stemmed, seeded if desired, and
  chopped (see notes)
1 onion (6 oz.), peeled and chopped
1 Roma tomato (4 oz.), rinsed, cored, and chopped
1 cup shredded Oaxaca or jack cheese (4 oz.)
4 flour tortillas (9 to 10 in. wide) Tomato salsa Pepper

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

1. In a bowl, whisk eggs, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until blended.

2. Set a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over high heat. Add oil, ham, chiles, onion, and tomato; stir often until onion is limp, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add egg mixture, then sprinkle evenly with cheese. When a thin layer of egg is set on pan bottom, in about 30 seconds, push cooked egg toward one side of pan with a wide spatula, letting uncooked egg flow underneath. Continue cooking and pushing egg mixture until eggs are softly set but still moist, 3 to 4 minutes total. Stir to turn eggs over. Remove pan from heat.

3. Wrap tortillas in plastic wrap and heat in a microwave oven on full power (100%) just until hot and steamy, 15 to 30 seconds. Lay tortillas, one at a time, on a board and spoon about a fourth of the egg mixture across each, just below center. Wrap tortillas tightly around filling. If desired, cut each burrito in half diagonally; stack on plates. Offer salsa, salt, and pepper to add to taste.