Best Breakfasts and Mexican Scrambled Eggs

A fresh fruit plate from a Mexican breakfast. I want to go to there.

The reliably hilarious and wonderful writer Grace Dent had a piece in the Guardian last week about breakfasts.  Like Ms Dent, I am old enough to remember when orange juice was served alone as a starter, and am also grateful that breakfasts have improved from the days of tepid Ready Brek and soggy white toast.

The Continental breakfast and American brunch were the trailblazers that challenged the standard Full Irish (or English).  I visited Mexico a couple of years ago and was pleasantly surpised to find out that the Mexican breakfast is also a thing of beauty.  I’ve no idea why it hasn’t taken off more.  Mexicans do incredible things with eggs, such as huevos rancheros and really delicious and satisfying scrambled eggs., which happily are very easy to make at home.

Mexican Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients (to serve 2)

  • 4 eggs
  • 4 medium sized tomatoes, finely chopped
  • Jalapenos, chopped, to taste
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • Dried chilli flakes, to taste
  • Large dollop natural yoghurt or sour cream – about 2 tablespoons

Directions

  1. Warm a little butter in a non-stick saucepan over a low heat. Crack the eggs into the saucepan and stir immediately.
  2. Add in the dollop of yogurt, the chilli, the spring onion and the jalapenos, and stir.
  3. Scramble the eggs as usual, stirring regularly over a low heat and keeping an eye on them so that they’re cooked to your liking.
  4. Just before the eggs are done, add in the chopped tomato.  (If you add the tomato too early, it can get a bit overcooked).

In Mexico, these scrambled eggs usually came with tortilla chips, refried beans and guacamole, and a side of fresh fruit.  They will go with any Mexican condiments that you have and are great with hot sauce, but even just served with toast, they’re lovely.  If you opt for yogurt over sour cream, they are also a very healthy dish.  Or if you really want them to be a special treat, you can mix in chopped mozzarella and cooked bacon.

Of course, the Full Irish is still a thing of a beauty and a joy forever; perhaps just not advisable every single day.  If you get all the components of a fry right and perfectly cooked at the same time – for me, it’s (deep breath) sausagesbaconscrambledeggbeansfriedbreadmushroomstoasttea – it can be something sublime.

What’s your favourite nationality of breakfast? Is there some sneaky country out there with an amazing breakfast cuisine that they’re not sharing with the rest of us?