Potatoes with Chile Rajas and Scrambled Eggs
These potatoes are buttery, golden, and crisp with a wonderful flavor. Yukon golds are waxy and fry well, finishing with a beautiful golden flesh with browned edges. It’s important to pan-fry them in clarified butter and a little vegetable oil, a mix that can withstand the high heat required to get the potatoes crisp and browned without burning.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 12 tacos
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cut the prepared poblano and serrano chiles into 1/4-inch-thick strips (rajas); set aside.
Step 2
Have a bowl lined with paper towels ready. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add 1 1/2 cups of the clarified butter plus the 1/2 cup vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F on a deep-fat thermometer. Add the potatoes and fry until golden, stirring them once or twice, about 12 minutes (they will lose about one-third of their volume). The temperature will drop when you add the potatoes; when it returns to 350°F, decrease the heat slightly. Be careful not to burn the potatoes or the oil—the butter-oil mixture should show small, not large, bubbles.
Step 3
While the potatoes fry, in a skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons clarified butter over low heat and sauté the diced onion until it begins to caramelize, about 10 minutes. When the onion is fully cooked, increase the heat to medium-high and cook a little more to brown the pieces. When the potatoes are done, transfer them to the paper towel–lined bowl to drain off any excess oil. When they are drained, but still hot, transfer to a serving bowl, dust with chile powder and salt, then add the cooked onions and poblano and serrano chile strips and toss to mix all together; keep warm.
Step 4
Whisk the eggs with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter until the whites and yolks are mixed well. In a large, heavy nonstick skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, pour in the egg mixture, and cook, turning constantly with a spatula, until the eggs are just set, but still very wet, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl so they don’t cook further, cover, and keep warm.
Step 5
To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the potato mixture equally between the tortillas and top with scrambled eggs, chopped green onion, and crema. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some potatoes and eggs, top with green onion and crema, fold, and eat right away.
