El Paisano Recipe

Prepare ingredients: remove chorizo from casings and crumble into bite-sized pieces. Finely dice the onion and tomato, and chop the cilantro. This makes cooking faster and even.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (chorizo will render fat, but a little oil prevents sticking).

Add the crumbled chorizo to the hot skillet. Break it up with a spatula and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned, mostly cooked through, and has released its fat.

If the pan becomes overly greasy, spoon off and reserve 1–2 tablespoons of excess fat; leave enough to coat the pan (about 1 tablespoon) for flavor. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Add the diced onion to the skillet with the chorizo. Sauté 3–4 minutes until the onion is softened and translucent, stirring so it picks up the chorizo flavor.

Stir in the diced tomato and cook 2–3 minutes until it softens and releases juices, blending with chorizo. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and taste; adjust salt as needed.

Stir in the chopped cilantro, remove the pan from heat while you prepare the eggs (this prevents cilantro from overcooking). Keep the chorizo mixture warm in the skillet on very low heat or transfer to a warm plate.

Crack the 6 large eggs into a medium bowl. Add 3 tablespoons whole milk or crema (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously until yolks and whites are completely combined and slightly frothy (about 20–30 seconds).

Wipe the skillet used for chorizo if it has too much grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat. Alternatively, heat a clean skillet and add 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat until it foams.

Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet and let them sit undisturbed for 10–15 seconds until the edges just begin to set.

Using a spatula, gently push the eggs from the edges to the center, forming large soft curds. Continue cooking over low to medium-low heat, folding every 10–15 seconds. Remove eggs from heat when they are still slightly creamy — they will finish cooking from residual heat (about 2–3 minutes total).

Return the warm chorizo mixture to the pan with the eggs (or add the scrambled eggs to the chorizo). Gently fold together to distribute chorizo evenly, warming for 30–60 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Stir in an additional 1 tablespoon of butter or a small knob of butter if desired for extra creaminess as final step and fold once to melt.

Serve immediately with warm corn or flour tortillas, lime wedges, and extra cilantro on top if desired. Makes about 4 servings (2 tortillas per person).