brunch – Cooking the Books

February 24, 2024January 27, 2024

On chorizo burritos and coming out

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School – Sonora Reyes

Summary: Yami knows she’s a lesbian but desperately hopes no one else knows, as she and her brother start at a new Catholic school, but of course, she immediately befriends (and falls for?) the one out and proud lesbian at her school.

“So hey, if you still want to leave, you can. But I’d love for you to stay for breakfast. I was about to make your favorite.”
“How do you know what my favorite breakfast is?”
“Because you’re about to tell me.” He smiles. “So, what’s for breakfast?”
“Chorizo burritos.” I don’t know why talking about my favorite breakfast food makes me tear up.
p. 241

I fell in love with this book from its opening line: “Seven years of bad luck can slurp my ass.” I immediately identified with (spoiler for the second sentence) being so rageful as to punch a mirror and the profane way the main character describes it.

And the rest of the book did not disappoint. Yami—and her friends, frenemies, and family—proves to be as complicated as the emotions evoked in that first sentence. She is equal parts headstrong and stubborn as she is impulsive and sardonic. Throw in a healthy amount of self-doubt as evidenced by the foodie quote, and you’ve got a fully realized teenage girl, at least from my own experiences.

Being a lesbiana is newer to me, but is yet another way of being seen.

So, self-doubt? Check. Queerness? Check. How do we get to the chorizo burritos?

Well, aside from the above, my wife introduced me to her recipe very soon after we became serious enough to start sharing meals.

I’m not sure it’s exactly what Yami envisioned, but I can say that in 10+ years of marriage and dating, I don’t think I’ve ever made the meal myself, always trusting her with it.

While it’s relatively simple, it’s always hard to make something you’ve long since entrusted someone else to do perfectly. Still, I think I did OK in my attempt.

Here’s what I did, following my wife’s instructions:

Ingredients

Oil, for sauteing
Butter, for cooking eggs
1 lb. Mexican chorizo
1 large russet potato, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2–3 large eggs
Pickled jalapeno slices, for serving (optional)
Shredded cheddar or crumbled cotija, for serving (optional, and as preferred)
Burrito-sized tortillas

Directions

Step 1: Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the potato, cooking until the potatoes are almost fully cooked through. Add the onions, cooking until softened and translucent, about 3–5 minutes. Add the chorizo, cooking until the potatoes and chorizo are cooked to perfection. Remove from heat.
Step 2: In a separate large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add eggs, being sure to break up the yolks. Cook until done, flipping halfway through, and remove from heat. Cut up the eggs into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3: Add the eggs to the chorizo mixture, and add in jalapeno slices (if using).
Step 4: To serve, spoon desired amount of mixture into tortilla, top with cheese (if using), and wrap burrito. Enjoy!

January 27, 2024January 27, 2024

Anyone can cook, but Thimble knows best

Legends & Lattes – Travis Baldtree

Summary: An orc from a legendary group of fighters completes one last score for a lucky charm to help her leave the mercenary lifestyle for a simple life where she owns and operates a coffee shop in a mid-size port town.

The rattkin made an urgent dipping motion.
Viv shrugged. She dunked one end into her latte and took another bite. Her eyes went wide. She chewed, swallowed, and allowed herself a moment to appreciate this subtle elegant comingling of flavors. “Oh hells, Thimble. That old man was right. You are a genius.”
p. 149

From the tagline of “A novel of high fantasy … and low stakes,” this book had me. As someone who has now been involved with a role-playing group for nearly 10 years and who loves the game’s rare town days as much as she enjoys slaying her foes, the tagline and the idea spoke to me. I’m happy to say that the book didn’t disappoint; the tagline was accurate and delivered exactly as hoped.

In some ways, there is not much more to the story than the summary I provided above and the previous paragraph—but where the book excels and where you would hope it would excels given its claim of “low stakes” is how much it focused on the small joys of a coffee shop (which I will admit is a rarer experience for me in this post[???]-COVID world), the scents of freshly ground beans and fresh baked bread, and immense pleasures of getting to know the local characters, and more importantly those who get you well enough to form a friendship, perhaps a new team but this one a little less focused on treasures and the slaying of supposed beasts. Baltree clearly knew what he was doing in focusing on character-building and slowing down the “action” to enjoy a quick sip, a small bit, a moment of conversation.

The peak for me was the creation of thimblets, clearly a biscotti, but the moment where the food and drink come together and as the shop needs something new for its customers. But also, perhaps when everything is finally coming together for the characters and this new less dangerous but no less thrilling adventure in a fantasy world. Though the book doesn’t provide a recipe, enough of a description is given, and I have made biscotti before, that I figured I could approximate it well enough.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
6 T. butter, melted, plus more for coating
1 T. cardamom
Zest from 1 orange
2 t. juice from (same) 1 orange
1 T. baking powder
3 c. flour
Pinch of salt
1 c. walnuts
1 c. currants

Directions

Step 1: Whisk together eggs and sugar, and then add butter, cardamom, and zests and juice from orange.
Step 2: Mix in baking powder and salt, and then gradually stir in flour until well cohered into a dough.
Step 3: Once dough is mixed, add in the walnuts and currants.
Step 4: Form into two 2 in. logs, and bake on a coated baking sheet in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Let cool slightly, and then cut logs to about 1 inch on a bias.
Step 6: Place crescents onto another (or cooled) baking sheet, recoated with butter, and bake for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Let cool.
Step 7: Enjoy with a nice hot coffee, or perhaps a latte, and a good sword and sorcery book.

February 8, 2021

Easy like Sunday morning

After the first few weeks of this blog, I realized I’ve done a lot of complicated and time consuming recipes. So, I went looking for something super duper easy, and relatively quick.

Thankfully, there’s always a variation of breakfast casseroles.

I’ve made breakfast casseroles in a sheet pan and in a Dutch oven, and went with the traditional Denver omelet in my little skillet. But the fun thing is, they’re all a little different, and you can’t go wrong with breakfast foods.

The one slight twist on this Taste of Home recipe is my sweetie accidentally didn’t get enough bacon but did mercifully come across wonderful spicy smokies (Li’l Bites) from Beeler’s for an extra breakfast treat, so I just used some of those.

I can’t really take credit for it, considering I didn’t pick the smokies, nor did I make them, but man, they really made the meal. It would’ve been a delight with just bacon, but the smokies accidentally made this an extra special treat. All without extra effort.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 package (32 oz) frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
8 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 oz smokies (we used the jalapeno and cheese Li’l Bites from Beeler’s that are highly recommended if you can find them), thickly sliced and cooked in bacon fat to brown if desired (they’re fully cooked so it’s not necessary!)
1 to 1 ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 large eggs
2 c. whole milk
Paprika, to taste (I used hot paprika to build on the spice)
Pepper, to taste
Butter for greasing the casserole dish

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 in. casserole dish.

In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, bacon, smokies, and ½ to 1 c. cheese. Spoon into the prepared casserole dish. In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs and milk until blended. Pour the egg mixture over the hash brown mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and pepper.

Bake uncovered, until a knife inserted at the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining about ½ c. cheese, and enjoy!

January 15, 2021

Heading to Israel, via Italy, for pastel

Of course, times being what they are, my title is metaphorical not literal. The few times I’ve left my house to go anywhere other than for a walk in the neighborhood I’ve been asked the laughable (to me) question: Have you traveled outside the state?

“[Person]”, I say, “I have not even left my house.” Because my trips are mostly to the doctor’s office, I hear a “Same,” and we both sigh.

Anyway, my recipe this week is a pastel, which I understand is an Israeli breakfast item, and definitely is a delightful meat pie. However, I found the recipe through an Italian food site called Labna, and I loved that it included a red wine, which I’m not sure is traditional.

It was supposed to be an easy dish, so I made it on a weekday. As I got more than halfway into the process, I realized some steps involved cooling/chilling the parts, and I decided for my sanity and our hunger, to make a quick box meal while I continued the steps to the pastel.

So, be smarter than me, and read the entire directions before assuming how quick this will be.

However, other than the down time, it is actually pretty easy and simple; the pie crust is pre-made puff pastry; otherwise, it’s cooking some meat and vegetables together.

I mean, I’m still glad I made it, after finally tasting it the next day, but next time, I’ll try to be better about reading all the directions.

Here’s what I did, tweaking the recipe to add carrots and also upping the spice amounts:

Ingredients

~2 T. vegetable oil
3 medium onions, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 lb. ground beef
1 T. ground cinnamon
2 T. ground cumin
3 T. chopped parsley
1 c. red wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 sheets of puff pastry
3 eggs, divided
2 T. sesame seeds (I probably used a little more, but didn’t measure)

Directions

Heat a couple tablespoons in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute until the onions have softened, but not browned. Add the beef and the spices and parsley, and stir to combine. Cook until the beef begins to brown.

Pour in the wine and cook until the wine has evaporated, about 5 more minutes. [Time consuming direction incoming!] Let the mixture cool completely.

While the beef is cooling, line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper, and then place one layer of pastry on the paper, pulling and pressing on the dough to cover the sides of the baking dish. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Once the beef is cool, add in two whisked eggs, and stir to combine. Spoon mixture over the prepared pastry dough, and then top with the remaining sheet of pastry dough. Pinch the two pieces of puff pastry together to lock in the filling.

[Another time consuming note incoming!] Chill the pie in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Once ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk the remaining egg and brush it over the pastry. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake the pie until golden and puffed on top, about 40 minutes, and allow to cool about 15 minutes before cutting, and enjoy!

December 18, 2020

Ham, apple, and a half-day quiche

The recipe for this ham & apple quiche from Food & Wine warns up front that it takes about 4 hours to come together, so I figure I should offer the same caution in starting this post. Granted, most of that time is passive, and none of it is all that taxing if you’re prepared. But this is not the dinner to start after work.

This is a good dinner for snow days, holidays, or other days off from work. *wink wink, nudge nudge*

Like with any good pie crust, this one should chill for about an hour in the fridge, and then another half-hour or so once it’s rolled out and put into the skillet. This one also calls for pre-baking the crust.

Once that’s all done, the next step involves trying desperately to create these beautiful little florets of ham and apple that are kind of a pain but do look quite nice if you can pull it off. (If not, honestly, getting thin slices and then chopping them up small will perhaps work just as well, if not as pretty.)

Then, finally comes the cheese, and then the egg and half and half mixture.

Oh, and then the baking. While it says to bake for 40 to 50 minutes, I found myself looking at upwards of an hour before the thing set, though I didn’t use the larger tart pan called for but rather my small skillet. The ingredients, with slightly fewer florets, otherwise worked in the differently sized equipment, but perhaps that was the reason for the time difference.

Either way, I quite enjoyed this one, even with all the work. It had a nice presentation and a better flavor.

Here’s what I did, altering the Food & Wine recipe to fit 9-inch skillet:

Ingredients

1 ½ c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 stick (½ c.) unsalted butter, cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Ice water, for crust
8 oz. thinly sliced Black Forest ham, cut into 1 ¼ in. strips
1 medium Granny Smith apple, quartered, cored, and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
1 c. shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 ¼ c. half and half
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 t. fresh thyme

Directions

Mix together the flour and a little salt and pepper. Add the cubed butter and mix in using a pastry blender until you have chickpea-sized pieces. Drizzle in ice water until dough comes together. Work until it comes together and pat into a disk. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 45 minutes to an hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough into about an 11 in. round. Fit dough into a 9- to 10- in. skillet. Chill rolled out and placed dough for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for about 40 minutes, and then remove weights and parchment and bake until golden and crisp, about another 10 minutes. Let cool.

Place a strip of ham on a work surface. Arrange a row of slightly overlapping apple slices lengthwise on a ham strip; roll up loosely and place in the pie crust, spiral side up, and repeat as appropriate to fill up the pie shell. (I had to use other utensils to keep the florets from unraveling, but if you dear reader find a better way, please let me know!) Sprinkle cheese on top.

Whisk together the half and half, eggs, egg yolk, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour in and around the apple and ham rolls.

Bake at 375 degrees until the custard is set, about 50 minutes, loosely tenting with foil to prevent the crust from burning. Remove from heat, and let cool for about 15 minutes, and enjoy!

November 21, 2020

I’m strong to the finish, cuz I eats my spinach

I hope and pray that people have a safe Thanksgiving. To will that into the world, I decided to do a slightly more complicated dish this week since hopefully most readers are not traveling or planning on feeding a large number of guests on Thursday.

However, fret ye not about the level of complication. In fact, the reason I chose this one is because I wanted to make it more simply than the New York Times recipe suggested. Plus, I love spanakopita, and have made variations of it over the years of this blog.

I was super excited to find that this spanakopita pie fit in a 9- to 10-inch skillet!

The downside, if you’ve ever worked with fresh spinach, is the sheer amount of it you need to buy to get the amount you need to fill a pie, say. So, rather than worry about that, I just bought frozen; plus, it cut down on cooking.

The other ingredient that caught my eye as troublesome in this particular fancy recipe was getting a block of feta in brine. Now, I love it when I’ve gotten it from my local Middle Eastern store; however, usually I get it when I need to use the brine as well. It’s less easy to find in my usual grocery stores, and since the brine wasn’t used, I skipped it and went for the pre-crumbled container I usually get.

Everything else was more or less standard for what I expect to be in a spanakopita, and it worked out to be quite the delight. A little skimpy on the phyllo dough, but it was a pie, not a roll; but that also made it less work.

All in all, it was worth the effort, and where else do you need to be this weekend? May as well spend it in the kitchen.

Hidden underneath this tasty flaky crust is a wonderful spinach mixture.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

8 T. unsalted butter, divided
2 medium leeks, white and green parts only, halved and sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
20 to 24 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
¾ c. fresh parsley leaves, chopped
½ c. fresh dill, chopped
½ c. grated Parmesan
Zest from one lemon, plus juice from the lemon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, beaten
8 oz. crumbled feta
10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed

Directions

In a 9- to 10-inch skillet, melt 3 T. butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic, and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for about another 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and let cool.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the parsley, dill, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Working about 1 c. at a time, transfer the spinach mixture to a fine mesh strainer and set in the sink to press out as much liquid from the mixture as possible. Add the strained handfuls to the parsley mixture, repeating until all the spinach has been added to the large bowl. Stir to combine, and add any additional salt and pepper as desired. Stir in the beaten eggs, and then fold in the feta, trying to leave larger chunks intact.

Melt the remaining 5 T. of butter over the stove top on low or in the microwave. Meanwhile, wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. Brush the bottom and sides of the skillet with some of the butter. Then, working quickly with 1 sheet of phyllo dough at a time, lightly brush the top of one sheet with butter, and then lay it in the skillet, butter side up, with an overhang on either side. Repeat with 7 more phyllo sheets, rotating each sheet in a different direction as you add it.

Spoon the spinach mixture into the skillet, spreading into an even layer. Starting with the top layer of phyllo dough first, lift it over the spinach mixture toward the center of the pan, and repeat with remaining overlapping dough to create a top crust.

Crinkle on top the remaining 2 pieces of phyllo dough, and brush with any remaining melted butter.

Cook over medium heat on the stovetop for about 5 minutes to crisp up the bottom crust. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until the phyllo dough is golden and filling is warmed, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Slice into wedges and enjoy!

November 10, 2020

Desperately craving trashy brunch

I have heard the calls on the left warning against simply going back to brunch now that Trump has been defeated. And there is still so much work to do, starting with gains in Georgia and then working to achieve actual progress.

However, we are now approaching eight months of living with the pandemic, and I am really missing going out to eat. Being immunocompromised, and not willing to risk my life for a meal, I don’t dare enter a restaurant. Especially after this week, just for once, it’d be really nice to go out to brunch or, frankly, to a bar and kvetch with friends and loved ones. And a girl’s gotta eat sometimes.

Though delivery is an option (if not the same as seeing friends), there are few options for round-the-clock breakfast items, and eggs and hashbrowns, etc., just don’t keep as well once in a plastic container. On top of that, it takes out the spontaneity of deciding to go out to breakfast when you just really have a craving or really need to grumble over biscuits and gravy.

Thankfully, I found a semi-solution.

One of my favorite foodie sites Serious Eats had a Denver omelet recipe I found recently, and I could finally taste the joy of round-the-clock brunch, straight from the kitchen.

I still think my technique could be improved, and it’s still not the same as being able to wait 20 minutes (I’m a late riser, which considerably cuts down on waiting!) to sit at a booth to get diner food, but boy is it still a comfort in these times.

Not that pretty, but pretty effing tasty.

Here’s what I did, perhaps overdoing it on the meat and veggies and cheese but still enjoying my monstrosity:

Ingredients

5 large eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 oz. shredded pepper jack pepper (I’m sure I used more)
2 T. butter, divided
3 oz. ham slices, cut into ½ in. pieces (I didn’t precisely measure)
½ large bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
½ medium yellow onion, diced
Pinch of smoked paprika

Directions

In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs and add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until the eggs are homogeneous and frothy. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a 9- to 10-in. Skillet (cast iron or nonstick) melt half the butter over medium-high heat, swirling until lightly browned. Add the bell pepper and onion, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown. Add the ham and cook further until the ham slices are browned in spots. Stir in the smoked paprika and some additional ground pepper. Scrape vegetables into a medium bowl (glass, or otherwise heatproof) and add the cheese, stirring to combine.

Wipe out skillet and set over medium heat. Add the remaining half of the butter and cook until melted and lightly browned. Re-whisk the eggs until foamy, and then add to skillet and cook, using a spatula to push the edges toward the center and tilting the pan to spread the uncooked egg underneath. Continue the process around the skillet until the eggs are almost set.
Sprinkle the ham and cheese mixture over half the omelet, remove from heat, and cover, letting the omelet sit until mostly or fully cooked through on the top, about one minute. Use the spatula to loosen the edges and carefully fold the omelet in half to enclose the filling. Split in half and serve, preferably with some hash browns and coffee, and enjoy!

July 24, 2020

No crust, no problem: Skillet pie lives up to its name

A few weeks ago, I rediscovered the joy of my vegetarian cookbooks, particularly one from Deborah Madison.

The first recipe I made of her vegetarian stuffed peppers fit a large casserole, so no blogging about it, but you can get the recipe here. However, it had an interesting way of incorporating onions that at first I scoffed at. As I looked closer, though, I didn’t see a way around doing it her way. I ended up very glad I actually followed the recipe. While the onions (first deglazed in wine) baked on the bottom of the casserole, since it was stuffed peppers, they ended up as a sweet and sour topping that complemented the rest of the ingredients incredibly well.

So, for my second recipe, I looked specifically for things that would work in my small skillet.

It didn’t take long to find the perfect meal. With the amount of cheese, it wasn’t light exactly but a simple eggy dish didn’t feel all that hefty in the summer heat.

Even better, it was incredibly easy. Mix up some ingredients in a large-ish bowl. Pour in a buttered small skillet. Bake, and voila, you’ve got dinner.

Pulling back the curtain, I will admit I made the focaccia to go with this meal, and a bread is the perfect addition so you have a more filling meal. Alternatively, it’d make a good breakfast item.

Here’s what I did, sticking to the recipe, though I used my 9-inch skillet rather than the called-for 10-inch (and it just fit!):

Ingredients

¾ lb. feta cheese
1 lb. ricotta cheese
6 eggs
¼ c. flour
¾ c. milk
1 T. dill, preferably fresh and chopped (I used more)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Butter, for coating

Directions

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix ¾ of the feta with the ricotta in a medium bowl, without worrying about getting it perfectly smooth. Beat the eggs into the cheese. Then, add the flour and milk. Season with the dill and salt and pepper.

Butter a 9- to 10-inch cast iron skillet. Pour in the batter, and crumble the remaining feta cheese on top. Bake until golden, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve with bread or another preferred side, and enjoy!

May 8, 2020

Have rice and eggs anytime

I admit that this week’s recipe was one of those where I just happened to have all the ingredients in the house, and so had the perfect excuse to make it.

Even easier to do as it was another of the Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients recipes, so I literally only needed to have 5 ingredients (plus salt and water) on hand, most of them household staples for us.

Now, not all ingredients will be household staples for most. I’m just lucky that my sweetie has been doing the shopping for us since the pandemic began and has been adding a stop at the local Asian market to his errands while he’s out. That’s how we came to have kimchi available any time.

While the Korean eggs and rice dish is, of course, Korean, it’s also possible to replace the kimchi with another vegetable. Kimchi worked really well with the cilantro as well, but again, anyone could use a different herb or spice accompaniment.

I might recommend giving kimchi a try, though, as the fermented cabbage is quite a bit tastier than its name or its description might make it seem.

This is the second time I’ve made the dish and I’ve stuck to the recipe both times, other than the fact that I’ve used a smaller skillet than called for and increased the cilantro amounts. It’s been fine, though I’ve never quite managed to get the eggs to fully encompass the rice; I think next time I’ll just go ahead and stir it in a bit rather than hoping it wraps around. However, it does still taste great and does allow the rice to crisp a little more, which I enjoy quite a bit.

The meal also delightfully works as both breakfast and dinner. All around a nice, easy meal when you don’t have a lot of time or the energy to make something too difficult.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 T. sesame seeds (I didn’t really measure so definitely used more)
150 g. basmati rice
150 g. kimchi
8 sprigs of cilantro
4 eggs
Salt, to taste
400 ml water

Directions

Toast sesame seeds in a 9- to 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Once lightly golden, remove to a plate, and reduce heat to medium-low. Place the rice in a pan with a pinch of salt, and then pour in 400 ml of water. Cover and cook the rice for 10 to 15 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

Meanwhile, chop the kimchi and tear up half the cilantro, and place in a medium bowl. Beat in the eggs, and then pour over the rice when it’s ready, spreading evenly with a spatula. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or so until the eggs are just set.

Loosen the edges with a spatula, and then slide it out on a plate. Scatter the sesame seeds on top and then place the remaining cilantro leaves on top, and enjoy!

May 1, 2020

Breaking biscuits and gravy, Part 2

As promised, I am back this week with a chorizo gravy recipe.

I feel a little bad that I made everyone wait a week and worse that I imagine most readers would rather substitute in store-bought biscuits than just forego this great chorizo gravy recipe.

Well, I am here to tell you that good things are worth the wait, and this is no exception.

It was a true delight.

I don’t even think all the other additions (cotija, avocado, scallions, and cilantro) are strictly necessary, even though of course I added them and would definitely do them again. That being said, as much as I love cotija, I feel like it does add the least in the addition, just because the gravy is already so fatty and so flavorful that the crumbly Mexican cheese doesn’t add as much as I would have thought. Also, for my personal tastes, I could take or leave the scallions. But when I make it again, it will definitely still have avocados and cilantro, and frankly, probably the others too.

Here is where I do admit that I did semi-cheat by not using my Le Creuset on the gravy. I thought since the biscuits called for an 8-inch skillet (maybe a typo, see last week) that it’d be safer to use the 9-inch for the biscuits and not overwhelm it with gravy that could overtop, so I went with our 10-inch cast iron for the gravy.

Technically, I think 9-inch would still work, particularly as you brown the chorizo and then remove it to make the gravy, and only are supposed to add back in half the chorizo, with the rest on top separately. I went ahead and added all the chorizo back in and it fit comfortably in the 10-inch. Alternatively, when the gravy is done, it could be poured into the sitting chorizo instead and you could keep using a 9-inch without problem.

What I’m saying is this one is pretty adaptable. Cook your gravy how you like, and add what you like, or nothing, to the top, and all is good, man. Just enjoy.

I love it when a masterpiece comes together.

Here’s what I did, finishing out the Bon Appetit recipe without many changes:

Ingredients

1 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. fresh chorizo, casings removed (or just buy Beeler’s that already is removed from casings, like I did)
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 ½ c. whole milk (I accidentally did not specify when my sweetie went shopping so we used 2% and it was fine)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
3 T. butter, if needed (my chorizo was not very fatty, so to make a roux, I needed more fat, you may too)
2 avocados, for serving (optional)
4 scallions, sliced, for serving (optional)
½ c. cilantro, chopped, for serving (optional)
½ c. cotija cheese or queso fresco, for serving (optional)

Directions

Heat oil in a 9- to 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo, breaking up any large pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chorizo is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl (small if planning to add back in to gravy, larger if planning on adding gravy to bowl).

Add additional butter if needed so that you have a total of about 3 T of fat to mix with the flour to make a roux. Add the flour once the butter has melted, if using, and whisk constantly until the roux is starting to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until incorporated. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook gravy until thickened, another 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in half the chorizo, or all of it, or add the gravy to the chorizo mixture, as will fit and as desired. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce, to taste.

To serve: Spoon some gravy over biscuits (either cornmeal from last week or store bought), and then top with avocados, scallions, cilantro, and cotija, if using any or all, and the rest of the chorizo if you didn’t mix it in. Add more hot sauce if desired, and enjoy the gluttony!