Air date 8-22-2020
TAMALE SCRAMBLE with CHORIZO and JACK CHEESE
MY KEY WEST KITCHEN by Norman and Justin Van Aken
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
MARINATED TOMATOES
1/2 teaspoon roughly chopped fresh thyme
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
18 ounces cherry tomatoes, cut in halves or quarters
2 corn husk- or banana leaf-wrapped prepared corn tamales
5 large eggs
2 Tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces fresh chorizo
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
Jack cheese, shredded, to taste
Sour cream and hot sauce, for garnish
Make the marinated tomatoes: Mix together all of the ingredients except the tomatoes together in a bowl. Add the tomatoes, toss well and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Place the tamales in a steamer basket over simmering water until thoroughly heated through.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and brown the sausage. Transfer the cooked sausage to a bowl, reserving the rendered fat for another use. Without wiping the pan, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion are golden and translucent.
Add the onion to the egg mixture. Stir in the sausage and cheese and pour the mixture back into the skillet.
Now, moving swiftly, remove the hot tamales from the steamer and from their husk or leaf wrappers and place on individual plates.
Using a heat-proof rubber spatula, spin the eggs around in the pan, shaking the pan back and forth while rubbing the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. (Turning the cooked curds around in the pan encourages quick but gentle cooking without browning or drying out the eggs.) When the eggs are just done (meaning the curds are set, not wet; done, but not by much), remove the pan from the heat and transfer the eggs to the dishes containing the unwrapped tamales.
Garnish the eggs with the marinated tomatoes, cheese, sour cream and your favorite hot sauce.
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