Today’s post is brought to you by the color purple. Yes, purple. I found myself inspired by some Purple Passion Potatoes that Tasteful Selections sent me to experiment with for their recipe contest. Suddenly I started noticing other unusually purple produce at my local farmers’ market.
Like purple tomatillos…
and purple hot peppers.
It should come as no surprised that I am captivated given that purple is one of my favorite colors – next to pink of course. Maybe it is just me, but I find myself lured in by produce in unexpected colors, be it purple or otherwise. Most often these technocolor fruits and veggies don’t taste drastically (if at all) different from their more traditional counterparts. However, since I eat with my eyes just as much as my other senses, I love seeking out unusually colored produce. I find they add a bit of whimsy and fun to an otherwise typical meal.
My purple produce became the inspiration for a simple and hearty breakfast. The potatoes were fried up with onions, seasoning, and eggs to serve as taco filling. (As a sidebar, I have to say I LOVE cooking with taco seasoning because it combines so many great herbs and spices in one blended seasoning.) Then the zesty mixture was topped off with a spicy tomatillo salsa. If you’ve always defaulted to jarred salsa, this recipe will have you reconsidering. It’s easier to whip up than you think and bursts with fresh flavor. Best of all, you can customize it to your tastes. Like it on the mild side, hold the pepper or use less. (Removing the ribs is a great way to control the heat.) Like it a little chunky? Don’t process it for so long. That said, if you want to substitute jarred tomatillo salsa to whip this together faster it would still be delicious. I like serving mine with a side of sour cream because it nicely cuts through the heat of the salsa and is a natural companion to potatoes.
Purple tomatillos have a slightly sharper and sweeter flavor than the more common green tomatillos. However, you could easily substitute green tomatillos and green serrano peppers into this recipe if they are more available in your area.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
-1/2 pound fresh purple tomatillos, husks removed and fruit rinced to remove any stickiness
-3 small, fresh purple hot peppers (or alternatively one normal-sized serrano)
-1 garlic clove, unpeeled
-2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons packed fresh cilantro
-1/4 cup chopped onion
-1/2 teaspoon course salt, plus more to taste for seasoning taco filling
-1 tablespoon oil
-1 small onion (about ¼ cup), chopped
-heaping tablespoon taco seasoning
-2 cups cubed potatoes
-3 eggs
-1 tablespoon milk
-Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
-8 small corn tortillas
-Sour cream, for serving
Method:
Begin by making the tomatillo salsa. Preheat the broiler. On a baking sheet, broil tomatillos, garlic, and peppers, about 1 to 2 inches from the heat. Broil until tomatillos are softened and slightly carred, turning over once, for about 7 minutes total.
Peel garlic and pull off the tops of the peppers. Add the garlic, peppers and tomatillos to a blender along with the cilantro, onion, and coarse salt. Puree until blended. Set aside.
In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and potatoes, tossing in the pan until well coated with oil. Cook until potatoes are tender on the inside and crisp on the outside.
Meanwhile, stir together the eggs and milk until the mixture is well combined. Lower the heat to low and add to the pan. Cook until the eggs are tender, but cooked through, stirring with a spatula to break them up into smaller pieces. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Serve potato mixture atop tortillas with salsa and sour cream on the side.
Have you seen any produce in unusual colors lately?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I love any type of breakfast burrito – this looks delicious!
I’ve never seen purple tomatillos, but I wish I could find them.
I found some golden raspberries at the market a few weeks ago – they were white and perfectly ripe
I must admit, I’ve never actually had tomatillos before, let alone seen purple ones. Very curious though, and this recipe sounds great, so I’ll keep my eyes peeled. I can easily see this made with a tofu scramble instead of eggs- It’s a great idea!
What gorgeous purple goodness! I love odd shaped and colored produce! Our local grocery store sometimes has these cute little yellow baby carrots that always make me giggle. Is that weird? Probably!
I love that you were inspired by purple! I am absolutely fascinated when I see produce in shades different from the usual. This past weekend, I picked up purple string beans and was tempted by a bunch of purple carrots! I’ve tried purple potatoes, too. Wow, now I’m catching the purple bug . . . These breakfast tacos are a perfect way to start the day!
I also can’t resist a purple vegetable … green beans … peppers … carrots. They get me every time. I bought “fairy tale eggplant” at the farmers’ market last week simply because of the name. These foods never disappoint!
Kelly, your photos are gorgeous! And I love how adventurous you are with fruit and vegetables. I don’t think I have ever seen a purple hot pepper.
Brandi – Ooh golden raspberries. I haven’t had those yet. I had black raspberries and they were amazing, but always seem to show up to the farmers’ market too late to get them in any color other than the standard red.
Hannah – It would definitely be great with tofu instead of the eggs. A tofu sour cream would also be delicious.
River – Um no, not only is it not weird, it’s right up my alley.
kitchenbelle – Thank you. I’ve been loving the natural light for photos. Once winter comes though it’ll be time to perfect my light set up.
We must be soulmates! I love the purple produce as well. Totally captivating. These sound like a wonderful vegetarian dish. One thing I am wondering, Kelly. Where is the goat cheese?
Cara – You know, I thoght about it. I always have a log in my refrigerator. Always. When Kerstin blogged recently about having a hard time using it up I realized what the opposite I am, I can never get enough!
Tanglednoodle – I love those carrots as well. Basically ANYTHING purple gets me.
Plum – I love the names. I also have a weakness for fairytail pumpkins. The fact that they look like Cinderella’s couch doesn’t hurt either.
The pictures of the purple tomatillos and peppers are so pretty…never seen it before.
The breakfast sounds and looks delicious…very tasty
I love all the colors and love to see a plate full of all colors, the more the better better
Juliana – Thank you. I appreciate the comments on my photography. They were new to me also.
These are something special for breakfast! Hearty and delicious. I really love tomatillos! I don’t use them often enough.
Breakfast tacos are my most favorite food. I’m definitely trying out your recipe!