Celeste Smith | Pedernales EC

Smith’s South Texas roots informed her recipe for migas, which she has been making for her family for years. Enjoy the dish on its own or tuck it into flour tortillas and serve with refried beans.

Vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 large plum tomatoes, peeled
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt, divided use
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 5-inch corn tortillas
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 teaspoon oil, then add bell pepper, onion, and serrano or jalapeño. Sauté 5 minutes, until onion is transparent, then add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

2. Pulse peeled tomatoes in a food processor until chunky but not watery, then add to the saucepan along with broth, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer partially covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the sauce from heat and set aside.

3. Cut tortillas into 1-inch strips, then cut in half crosswise. Cover the bottom of a large skillet with about 1 inch of oil and heat over medium. Cook tortilla strips until crisp, 7–10 minutes, then place on paper towels to drain excess oil.

4. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil and add eggs to warm skillet. Cook without stirring until eggs begin to set on the bottom, then draw a spatula across the bottom to form large curds. Sprinkle with remaining salt and return tortilla strips to the pan. Stir well and cook until eggs are set but still moist. Remove from heat, top with the sauce and cheese and serve.

Serves 2.