Breakfast Tacos with Cochinita Pibil, Scrambled Eggs and Crema
Recipe and photo courtesy of American Egg Board.
Yield: 12 portions
Achiote Pork Ingredients
7 oz. Annatto seed paste
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
3 cups water
2 tsp. salt
1 small package of banana leaves, enough to wrap the shoulder
2 lb. pork shoulder, bone in, skin on
2 garlic heads, cut in half
1 medium yellow onion, julienned
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
Procedure for Achiote Pork:
- Dilute the annatto seed paste in the vinegar, water and a pinch of salt to taste. Next, strain the sauce through a double strainer. In a roasting pan, place the banana leaves with enough room to wrap the pork shoulder. Place the shoulder in the pan and pour the sauce over it. Toss in the whole cloves of garlic, onions and cinnamon stick and wrap the leaves over the shoulder. Cover with aluminum foil and roast in the oven at 375° F for 4½ hours. Once cool enough to handle, remove the cinnamon stick and pull the pork apart with a fork. Add some sauce from the pot to the pork and combine; keep warm.
Ingredients for Scrambled Eggs
2 tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup white onion, minced
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, minced
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. cilantro leaves, sliced
6 eggs
1/2 cup corn on the cob, grilled, charred, cut
1/2 cup black beans, cooked, drained
Procedure for Scrambled Eggs:
- In a small sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and jalapeño, and season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add cilantro and eggs, and cook, folding eggs occasionally, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the corn and black beans; keep warm.
Red Cabbage Slaw
3 cups red cabbage
1/2 cup radishes
Juice of 1 fresh lime
Salt to taste
Procedure for Red Cabbage Slaw:
- Thinly shave the cabbage and radish with a mandolin. Toss with lime juice and salt to taste. Let sit and toss again before serving.
Ingredients for Habañero Lime Crema
1/2 cup Mexican crema
2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 Habañero, minced fine
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. lime zest
1/2 tsp. salt
Procedure for Habañero Lime Crema:
- Combine all items in a blender and purée for 20 to 30 seconds; set aside for assembly.
Ingredients for Mango and Pickled Red Onion Salad
2 mangoes, ripe, peeled, cut into julienne
1/2 cup pickled red onions (recipe below)
3 cups green cabbage, julienne
1 cup jicama, small, diced
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1/4 cup cilantro, finely sliced
Cumin lime vinaigrette (recipe below) as needed
Salt to taste
Procedure for Mango and Pickled Red Onion Salad:
- Place the mangoes, pickled red onion, cabbage, jicama, pecans and cilantro in a medium bowl; slowly add the vinaigrette until the salad is lightly coated. Season with salt and serve immediately.
Ingredients for Cumin Lime Vinaigrette
2 tsp. garlic
2 tbsp. Serrano, seeded, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Zest of 1 lime
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. cumin seed, toasted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 cup olive oil
Procedure for Cumin Lime Vinaigrette:
- Combine all the ingredients except for the olive oil in a blender and purée until combined. Add the olive oil while the blender is running to create a creamy dressing. Set aside.
Ingredients for Pickled Red Onions
1 red onion
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
Procedure for Pickled Red Onions:
- Peel the onion. Cut in half and slice into very thin half-moon shapes. Place in a small bowl with vinegar, sugar, and salt and set aside for at least 2 hours.
To Assemble:
- Fry the tortillas into tacos, then place a small amount of scrambled eggs, and top with the pulled pork and the cabbage slaw.
- Garnish with the habañero lime crema, queso fresco, and a cilantro sprig. Serve with the mango and red onion salad.