Chorizo Con Huevos y Nopalitos (Eggs with Chorizo and Cactus)

Hello all! Rick here with another dish from my childhood. As many of you may already know, I'm half Mexican (yes, I know I don't look like it) and I love the food my mom used to make. I fondly recall the smells of her cooking nopales with eggs and chorizo in our kitchen when I was a boy. It was a dish we didn't have often but was a real treat when we did. Our dog Teddy liked it, too! I remember sneaking bits of it to him under the dining table, and I think he used to smile to me when I did! Chorizo Con Huevos y Nopalitos can be served as a main dish for tacos or as a side. Nopal is Spanish for "cactus." Very edible, the young "leaves" are cut off from the main plant and the needles carefully trimmed off, much like scaling a fish. But be careful, these ones bite back! Or you can do it the easy way and buy it at the Mexican market already cleaned! Once "cleaned," rinse the cactus leaves well.  You may slice or dice, depending on your preference. Either way, enjoy Chorizo Con Huevos y Nopalitos folded inside a tortilla for a taco or rolled with beans inside a burrito. It's a great way to enjoy this desert delicacy!

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

- 2 nopales cactus, cleaned and diced

- 1 tbs. manteca (lard)

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

- quarter of a red onion, sliced
- 1 pinch of salt

- 6 ounces of chorizo

- 3 eggs, beaten

- queso fresco cheese, for garnish

- 1/8 cup of cilantro, chopped

- 1 medium tomato, diced

This is what nopales look like. You can find them at your local Mexican supermarket. It's usually already cleaned of its thorns and ready to cook. 

1. Cut nopales into bite-sized pieces. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, then add nopales.  Boil nopales until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside. 

2. Over medium heat, heat manteca in a medium skillet.

Add sliced red onion. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Then add minced garlic, and cook for another
30  seconds. 

3. Next, add cooked nopales. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

4. Add 6 ounces of chorizo to the skillet. 

Smash and break up the chorizo with a spoon so that it is fully heated through and incorporated with other ingredients. Saute for about 3-5 minutes. Don't let it burn. 

5. Then pour in 3 beaten eggs. 

Cook the mixture like you would scrambled eggs, about 7 minutes or no longer runny. 

6. Then add diced tomatoes. Mix thoroughly. 

Next, the chopped cilantro goes in. About 1/8 cup, but it's up to you. Mix thoroughly.

Then take the skillet off the heat. 

Garnish with crumbled queso fresco cheese. Serve as a side or in heated corn tortillas for tacos. They make awesome tacos. We hope you'll like this recipe!