Published 2013-04-24T06:00:00Z”/>
Alexandra Archuleta
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Breakfast has always been my favorite meals. Growing up, I’d have the usual oatmeal, French toast, omelets and cereal served to me, but one breakfast stood above them all.
Chorizo with eggs and potatoes was something I loved to hate. We were probably the only house on the block that kept it in the fridge regularly, but it was delicious.
None of my friends had ever heard of it, and most of them turned up their noses when they heard that’s what I’d eaten for breakfast. They all told me they didn’t eat things they couldn’t spell.
Wait — what’s chorizo? Chorizo is a spicy Mexican pork sausage. Ground pork is seasoned with chile peppers and surrounded by a synthetic case.
I actually didn’t know this until I came to college last fall when I was surprised I had to order my chorizo “con huevos” at Jack’s Family Restaurant. Up until then, I just thought “chorizo” was the name of the dish, not only the sausage.
The only way I had eaten this was the way my mom, and her mom and her mom’s mom have prepared it. Our family serves this sausage with scrambled eggs and diced pan-fried potatoes, wrapped up in a warm, buttered corn tortilla.
Although my mother technically isn’t Mexican and doesn’t speak any Spanish, she’s Latina by descent. Her olive skin and passion for tradition shut down other cooks when she dukes it out in the kitchen.
My mother cooks up a mean chorizo breakfast. I dream about waking up Sunday mornings to a pan of it but usually settle on a smoothie and a hard-boiled egg.
Chorizo isn’t hard to find. It’s in the ethnic aisle at Safeway and WinCo, and it’s cheaper than other breakfast meats.
One day, I decided I’d take a hand at whipping up the traditional breakfast. This time, I was doing it my way.
Instead of whole eggs, I used just the whites. In place of the spud, I opted for a sweet potato. The corn tortillas were nixed for whole wheat ones. But here’s the kicker: To reduce the amount of fat, I used Soyrizo.
I took the very essence that makes chorizo what it is and cobbled it together with something pretty close to the original with almost half the calories.
I’ll warn you: The way I prepare this dish probably makes my ancestors roll over in their graves. The authenticity is a bit off, but my college cooking mostly consists of throwing some food in a pan, trying to make it healthy and hoping it works.
It’s not like they had anything to compare it to, but I made this for my roommates one morning and it was a hit. I loved it too. It tastes great, and I don’t miss the extra grease.
If you’re looking to switch up the ol’ bacon and eggs, try my Soyrizo with egg whites and sweet potatoes.
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<strong>Alexandra Archuleta can be reached at</strong> <a href=”mailto:[email protected]”><em>[email protected]</em></a>
<table style=”width: 500px;” border=”1″ cellpadding=”10″> <tbody> <tr> <td>WHAT YOU NEED:<br /> <ul> <li>1 package of Soyrizo</li> <li>1-2 sweet potatoes, diced</li> <li>7 eggs</li> <li>1 avocado</li> <li>1/2 lemon</li> </ul> </td> <td>HOW TO MAKE IT:<br /> <ol> <li>In a small pan, sauté sweet potatoes until soft, and set aside.</li> <li>Strain grease from Soyrizo, and place in an oiled skillet on medium-high heat.</li> <li>Mash avocado, egg yolks and curry powder in a small bowl. </li> <li>Squeeze in the lemon.</li> <li>Add salt to taste and spoon into egg whites.</li> <li>Stir continuously and cook until eggs begin to set.</li> <li>Mix in sweet potatoes.</li> <li>Remove from heat and enjoy.</li> </ol> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
