let's go back

to october 7th.

migas (or at least a version of them) made with leftover tortilla chip crumbs, with some sort of cheddar sliced over the top. sliced tomatoes (from the roommate's boyfriend's CSA). steamed broccoli (gimme a break. i like it steamed--just not too steamed). a session black (cheap and delicious and in adorable bottles). tortilla chips (i love those $2 bags).

not bad for a monday night.

how to move an egg.

yes, it's a tampons box with 2 eggs and a toilet paper roll.

in the school where i teach, the physics classes always do this experiment where one has to create a carrier for an egg to be thrown from a high point and not break. i never took physics but i am sure that this has to do with absorbing shock.

i went to michelle's last week, with the plan of making us breakfast before we geeked out and colored in 19th century-themed coloring books. but i was only going to bring a couple of eggs on the journey, and did not want to transport the entire container.

what to do but look in the paper recycling bin for inspriation? c'mon. it worked. the eggs arrived intact.
and i made migas. again. with garlicky red potatoes, white rice(!) sauteed with onion and pepper, sliced heirloom tomatoes, and chips and salsa. oh, and beer and coffee. it's vacation, folks!

this is what i do.

this is migas with avocado, farm-fresh corn with butter and salt, and black beans with garlic.

tracy calls. she asks what i am doing, and i tell her that i am photographing my food. she expresses exasperation. but it's what i do!

jack asks what i will be doing in 2 years. i said that i plan on having a new job. he thinks it will be food-related, potentially baking. maybe, maybe. that would be fun.

an institution.

when people think of new york, they imagine a couple different scenarios, often based on age and film preferences, i think. woody allen's new york, jerry seinfeld's new york, larry clark's new york, darren star's new york, spike lee's new york (brooklyn). and so forth.

so, my new york includes the lower east side, as does nora ephron's.

shopsin's is an institution. it has a cult following, i would say. it used to be located on bleecker street, in a much bigger location than it is now. and there were rules: parties of 2 or 4, no cell phones. it's run by kenny shopsin and his kids, and there was always insane name-calling and cursing between family members.

it is now in the essex street market, at essex and delancey. it's in a small stall there, but is still full of lovely goodness. some of the craziest dishes ever. (like slutty cakes!) no substitutions.

some examples. (but seriously, click the menu link on the page and see the whole thing!)
DAD- egg salad, bacon, cheese pancake sandwich
KRAKATOA- egg,sausage stuffing potato volcano
MR.MENTION- jerk oxtail, beef-a-roni, eggs, toast
BINGO-fried brussel sprouts, guacamole mayo, ciabatta (this one is a sandwich!)

so. tracy and i went there last friday. we ate like it was going out of style. it had been well over a year since i had been there. they have weird hours; the market is closed on sundays. there are maybe 12 chairs in the whole place. we knew that a friday morning was the perfect time. AND, tracy and i like it there more than most other people we know. why? no idea.

i had “the original” BLISTERS ON MY SISTERS: fried eggs, bubbling cheddar cheese, rice, beans n' greens on crispy corn tortillas in a skillet.
yes, kids. that is the entire skillet. on the table. i did not eat the whole thing. i also ordered hash brown potatoes, which are deep-fried chunks of potato. this was to share. i mean, c'mon.
tracy ordered turkey bacon and MIGAS: eggs, grilled peppers, onions, avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro, salsa roja. it came in a BOWL. and was delicious.
this was a ridiculous meal. our eyes were so much bigger than our stomachs. and we ate a lot.

leftover chips.

a secret: when there are only chip crumbs left in the bag, i pour them in a bowl with salsa and eat them like cereal. it's so good. but we had so many crumbs! as if there was such a thing. the bottoms of too many bags of chips.

migas were the only answer. usually, migas are made with tortilla strips, but chips work, too. i had never made migas before. and, it was a success.

so.
1. whisk egg with milk.
2. in the cast-iron skillet, saute onions and garlic and peppers and jalapeno in oil.
3. add the chips to the skillet and stir until they get a bit greasy.
4. pour in egg mixture and stir. 5. i would have added cheese if i had any. preferably cheddar or monterey jack.
as you can see, i ate it with roasted potatoes, tomatoes, and avocado.