Breakfast of Champions: Patacones & Eggs

In my previous blog, I talked about Patacones (pronounced pat - ah - KONE - ez), which are green plantain slices that have been fried and pressed.

In my house as a kid, one of the favorite ways to eat patacones, besides as just a snack, was for breakfast. A nice, filling, weekend breakfast that consisted of fried plantain, eggs, and a side of franks and beans :o)

Even though that breakfast is still quite comforting to me, here is a version that’s a little more updated…

Hearty Patacones Breakfast

Serves 3-4

3 large green plantains, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

1/2 pound of turkey kielbasa or veggie sausage, thinly sliced
2 medium bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 small red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste

6 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons butter or oil
black pepper
Adobo seasoning (or salt / seasoning of your choice)

1 can vegetarian baked beans

Salsa (optional)

First, start off by frying up the patacones: see my last post where I explained how to make them :o)
Once they're done, you can keep them in very low even until the rest of the breakfast is ready to be served.

In a small saucepan, heat the baked beans on low, just remembering to stir every so often, they’ll be done by the time you'er ready to eat.

Now for the sausage: drain the oil in the skillet, reserving about 2 tablespoons and let the pan heat up over a medium flame, then add the sliced onions and a bit of salt and sauté until translucent but no color, about 2 minutes.

Next add the minced garlic and sliced peppers, sauté for around another 2 minutes. Lastly, add the sliced sausage and a bit of black pepper and a pinch more salt, then continue to sauté for 5-7 minutes or when the sausage gets a bit of color.

Since the kielbasa is already cooked, you’re really just looking to heat it through and brown it a bit for flavor. Transfer the sausage to a warm plate, or keep in the low oven with the fried plantains.

Finally, wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and add 2 teaspoons of oil or butter for the eggs. Set over medium heat. Lightly beat the 6 eggs with the water and seasoning, then pour into the hot pan. With a wooden spoon or spatula, continuously stir the eggs in a figure-8 motion until they are set to your liking. Remove from heat and dust with black pepper.

Serve with a bit of salsa on the side and there you go, a relatively inexpensive, stick-to-your-ribs breakfast.
Enjoy!