This is a simple and easy-to-make recipe inspired by our recent travels to Yucatan, Mexico. One of the most delicious, nutritious and colourful breakfasts I ever posted, no wonder this has nowadays become my crowd-pleaser signature brunch dish.
Prep: 10 min // Cook: 5 min
A Few Words About Mexican Breakfast
One thing I've learned in my travels to Mexico, is that Mexicans seem to take their breakfast very seriously. Mexican breakfasts are supercharged with nutrients and loaded with flavour. A typical one includes eggs, tomato sauce, tortillas and avocadoes, usually accompanied by an assortment of salsas and toppings to choose from like beans or some special pickled onions which I am explaining how to make in this post. During our Eat-our-way-through-the-Yucatan-Peninsula road trip, we stuffed our faces with traditional regional breakfasts like Huevos Motuleños, a local Yucatecan recipe with eggs stewed in spiced tomato sauce served with peas and Jamon, and huevos rancheros which is another mouth-watering baked egg recipe, spiced with cumin, coriander and peppers - a bit more complex but seriously delicious recipe, the nation's favourite. Mexican food is vibrant and flavoursome and I will be posting some more egg recipes from that region in my blog soon.
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Why do you need Mexican Pickled Red Onions (Cebolla morada curtida en español)
Pickled red onion is almost a religion in Mexico and you can find it tossed on all sorts of tacos, tostadas, ceviches, sandwiches, salads and other foods, you name it (I even saw it on pizzas). The onion is soaked in a special "brine" that you can easily make at home, which softens the texture and smoothes the intensity of the onion adding a sweet and salty twist which will knock your socks off. As I said, it is fairly straightforward to make using simple everyday ingredients from your local supermarket. Read the recipe below to find out how to make the authentic cebolla morada curtida that I found in the Gran Libro de la cocina Yucateca cookbook which is only sold in the Spanish/Mexican Amazon.
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Equipment
Anti-stick frying pan, 750ml Airtight glass jar, 9cm Food Presentation Rings or Cookie cutter rings.
Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 2)
4 free-range eggs
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives (or
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 lime
1 tbsp Cholula (or Tabasco) sauce
1 large ripe avocado (or two small)
For the Mexican pickled onions - make 700ml jar:
1 large red onion (or 2 small)
1 orange
1 lime
80-100ml distilled or white wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 bay leaf
Optionally: 3-4 jalapeño slices (they will give flavour without spiciness)
Method
Make the pickled onions:
Slice the onion julienne-style and toss them into a clean, airtight glass jar. Add 3-4 jalapeño slices (optionally), sprinkle the salt and set aside.
Slice and juice the orange and the lime.
Make the "brine": in a small saucepan over low to medium heat, pour the 80ml vinegar, the orange and lime juice and the 1 tbsp of sugar and heat until it starts bubbling and the sugar dissolves.
Set aside and let the brine cool down (or put it in the fridge to accelerate cooling).
When the brine is at room temperature, pour it into the jar with the onions and stir well. Shake to ensure the onions are fully submerged in the pickling liquid to maintain their quality. If needed, top up with a little water.
Store the jar in the fridge until use.
Make the eggs:
Prepare the smashed avocado: peel and destone the avocado and smash it with the back of the fork. Add salt and pepper to taste, juice of half lime and the chopped coriander and stir until everything is blended. Set aside until serving.
Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, pepper, 1 tbsp Cholula sauce, a splash of water and the chopped chives.
In a large anti-stick frying pan, add a knob of butter (or a drizzle of olive oil for the healthier version). When it is hot enough pour the the eggs and stir vigorously.
Keep stirring until you have your scrambled eggs in the desired consistency and remove from heat. Try not to make them too dry as they will keep cooking even away from the heat source until you prepare the plating.
Lightly oil the inside side up a 9cm cookie cutter and place it in the middle of the serving plate.
Fill the 2/3 with scrambled egg and the rest with the smashed avocado and slowly pull the round cutter upwards to reveal the eggs.
Top them with the pickled onions, and serve with salad and sourdough bread on the side.
