Omelet in Turkey Broth from La Parroquia

As witnessed on my recent trip to Veracruz, breakfast is a big deal there, and I’ve found an infinite variety of Mexican egg dishes all over the country. You could say that it is an alternative to the power lunch. Usually consumed at a restaurant, the menu choices can be overwhelming, particularly at places like the historic Gran Cafe de la Parroquia.

There they serve two of my favorite egg dishes: The omelet in turkey broth with chiles toreados (fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles fried in hot oil until blistered) and two versions of huevos tirados. I had only tasted the scrambled eggs floating in a black bean sauce, seasoned with avocado leaves and dried serrano chiles, but on this trip, I tasted the huevos tirados, heavenly eggs scrambled with refried black beans.

Scrambled or fried eggs served in either a caldillo de tomate or tomato with chipotle sauce

The unusual and delicious scrambled eggs with shrimp from Dona Lala in Tlacotalpan, Veracruz.

My favorite egg recipe is for Huevos a la Mexicana, Scrambled Eggs Cooked with Salsa

Yesterday, it occurred to me to make a small omelet using a fresh hoja santa leaf. I sautéed a little onion and spread it evenly in the pan, added 2 well beaten eggs, sprinkled on ¼ cup cotija cheese, topped it with the hoja santa, and cooked it until golden on each side.