Mexican Strata Recipes

OVERNIGHT MEXICAN BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Cook and stir chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan. Add onions to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in poblano peppers and bell pepper; cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and return chorizo to the skillet.
• Lightly grease a 3-quart rectangle or oval casserole dish. Spread 1/2 of the bread into the prepared dish and top with 1/2 of the chorizo mixture. Repeat with remaining bread and chorizo.
• Whisk eggs, milk, oregano, and paprika together in a large bowl. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread and sausage. Cover and chill, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until an instant-read thermometer pressed into the center reads 170 degrees F (degrees C), 30 to 45 minutes more. Sprinkle with queso fresco during the last 5 minutes of baking. Let stand for 10 minutes and sprinkle with cilantro.

MEXICAN CHORIZO STRATA

Steps:

• Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a skillet. Add the chorizo and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned. Drain off the fat.
• Arrange the bread in a casserole dish. Top with the chorizo and then the roasted chiles.
• Whisk together the milk, butter, hot sauce and eggs in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper; pour over the chiles. Top with the cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least overnight and up to 2 days.
• To serve, bring the strata to room temperature and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bake the strata for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, whizz together the sour cream, avocado and lime juice in a food processor and season with salt and pepper.
• Top the strata with tomatoes, cilantro and dollops of the avocado sour cream.

MEXICAN CHORIZO STRATA

Steps:

• To roast the chili peppers, broil, turning occasionally with tongs and leaving the oven door ajar to allow steam to escape, until the skins are blackened all over. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let cool. Peel, seed and chop.
• Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet. Add the chorizo and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned. Drain off the fat.
• Arrange the bread in a casserole dish. Top with the chorizo and then the roasted chilies.
• Whisk together the milk, butter, hot sauce and eggs in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper; pour over the chili peppers. Top with the cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least overnight and up to 2 days.
• To serve, bring the strata to room temperature and pre-heat the oven to 325°F Bake the strata for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, whizz together the sour cream, avocado and lime juice in a food processor and season with salt and pepper.
• Top the strata with tomatoes, cilantro and dollops of the avocado sour cream.

EASY STRATA AND VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Saute mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and set aside.
• Whisk half-and-half, eggs, salt and pepper until smooth. Spray a 9-by-13-inch Pyrex or ceramic baking dish with vegetable cooking spray.
• Line bottom with 6 slices of bread. Scatter half of the ham, and half of the mushrooms over the bread, then sprinkle with half of the scallions and cheese. Pour 1 cup of egg mixture over the top. Repeat layers with remaining bread, ham, mushrooms, cheese and scallions. Slowly pour remaining egg mixture evenly over top. Cover with plastic wrap, then weight down casserole with 3 16-ounce cans for at least 15 minutes to submerge ingredients. (Can be refrigerated overnight, but return to room temperature before baking.)
• Adjust oven rack to middle position. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven until custard is just set, about 50 minutes. Turn on broiler and broil until strata is spotty brown and puffy (watch carefully), about 5 minutes longer. Let stand for 8 to 10 minutes, then serve immediately.

TEX-MEX CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Arrange tortilla chips in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with cheese and set aside. In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. , In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, onion, chilies, ketchup and hot pepper sauce; pour over cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

MEXICAN SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Coat a 9-inch quiche dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Spread bread cubes evenly in quiche dish. Set aside.
• Crumble sausage into a medium skillet; cook until brown.
• Drain off fat.
• Pat with paper toweling to remove excess fat.
• Sprinkle cooked sausage over bread cubes in quiche dish.
• In a medium mixing bowl, beat together eggs, milk, and sour cream.
• Stir in cheeses.
• Pour egg mixture over sausage in quiche dish.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Uncover and bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown. Remove from oven.
• Let stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting. To serve, cut strata into wedges. Spoon some salsa on top of each serving.

MEXICAN SAUSAGE & CORNBREAD STRATA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook chorizo and onion over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes or until chorizo is cooked through, breaking into crumbles; drain. In a large bowl combine chorizo mixture, corn and pico de gallo; fold in cornbread. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , In another large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, garlic powder and pepper; pour over cornbread mixture., Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight. , Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes or until golden brown and center is set. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted., Let stand 10 minutes before serving.