Totopos (aka Tortilla Chips) and Eggs

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Elevate your plain scrambled eggs with crunchy home made corn tortilla chips, fresh, aromatic scallions and then step it up again with fresh cilantro. Change the pace from the usual to upscale for a wonderful great brunch plate or even a weekday dinner meal.

In Mexico, chips are called “totopos”, though technically a Totopo is a pre-hispanic perforated corn tortilla baked in a zopotec oven.

Ingredients

Serves 6 – 8

8 corn tortillas

1 cup canola, grape seed or vegetable oil

10 large eggs

4 tablespoons whole milk or half and half

4 medium size scallions

1 cup whole cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Salt and pepper

3 ounces monterey cheese grated (optional)

1 avocado sliced (optional)

Tortilla Chips

Crispy chips are best achieved by using corn tortillas that are dried out. Before or after the dry-out process use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut each tortilla into 6 triangle wedges. Either set out the chips on a baking tray from 8 hours to overnight or use the dehydrate feature of your oven. My oven maintains 120 degrees and they are done within 1 hour and 30 minutes. Half-way through the drying process, turn the chips over for uniform drying.

Pour oil into a medium skillet to a depth of ¼ inch and heat the oil on medium high heat. Oil is ready when a small piece of tortilla placed in the oil sizzles. Place a paper towel onto a large plate and have several other paper towels ready. Place a batch of triangles into the skillet in a single layer. Use a slotted spoon to eliminate overlapping and to make sure all sides get coated with oil. Fry until the chips are just golden in color and firm approximately a minute or more. Remove the chips from the oil to the paper toweled plate and lightly salt. Repeat the process in batches.

Eggs

Mince 1/4 of the length of the scallion. Slice the remaining scallion and keep each separate. Place the eggs in a large bowl, add the milk, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, and beat eggs.

Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for a minute then add the scallion slices and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the butter and when the butter bubbles pour in the eggs. Without stirring the eggs allow them to begin to set. With a spatula, gently push one edge into the center of the pan, while tilting the pan to allow the liquid egg to flow underneath. Repeat the other edges, until about 1 cup of liquid remains uncooked.

Add the chips and gently stir them to coat them with the liquid egg and continue to push the mixture to the center until the liquid is almost gone. Turn off the heat, add the cilantro and continue gently stirring and turning the egg until all egg is firm yet still moist.

Sprinkle grated cheese on the eggs and sprinkle the remaining minced scallions uniformly over the cheese. Place the pan under a broiler until the cheese has melted.

Plating

Top the eggs with slices of avocado and accompany with a salsa, frijoles con espinacas and a fruit salad.