Love and Cooking

what you call migas is not it. I am mexican and know the real "migas" and it's completely different of what you mention. to start, it uses bread, not tortillla. it is a soup, not scrambled eggs as you mention. sorry but you should put the original and traditional way of doing it, not the one you have.
 

Well then, that handles that doesn't it? A new adventure!

Senior Biggles
 

That's very interesting. None of the recipes I saw used bread, and they weren't very liquid, but as "scraps" it would work, too. Do you have a recipe or link for your traditional way? Is the bread used to thicken the soup? What region is this from?
 

This is interesting and challenging. I did a quick web search for an "authentic migas" recipe and like so many recipes that have authentic cultural origins I found many variations, some claiming migas are omelettes others claiming it is a soup. I did find a reference to migas as "dry soups and stews" in the book "The food of Portugal" by Jean Anderson but no recipe (I'll have to check again when the baby is sleeping right now shes only interested in tearing book pages).
I'll also ask my friend Miguel but it will have to wait until next week because he is visiting family in Mexico this week. In the meantime I found these variations:

eggs:
http://brunch.allrecipes.com/az/Migs.asp
http://www.bettyelders.com/roberts.htm

soup:

http://www.gourmed.gr/recipes/spanish/show.asp?gid=1&nodeid=10&arid=7387
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/swsoup/swsoup82.html

hmm, I'm not sure if that was helpful, but I was trying.
 

I asked a friend of mine and she said she knew it as "huevos con tortillas". I suspect that this may either be more Tex-Mex than Mex and/or this is one of those hard-fought regional things, like chili or barbeque is in the states. I will keep asking because Mexico is a big country ;)
 

I have had migas many times, my fave is with spicy shredded beef thrown in with jalepenos. makes an awesome Sunday "brunch"! It was made the same way posted here.
 

Hi, I just ran across this recipe for Migas, and I want to tell you that my family comes from the Northern States of Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Leon (yes I too am Mexican), and this recipe is almost identical to what we know and love as Migas. The only difference is that we allow the tortilla pieces (we shred ours by hand into bite size pieces)to crisp up a bit before adding the beaten eggs. If we have onions and tomato they go into the pan after the tortillas are a bit firm and crisp (but crunchy crisp). It might be peasant food but no one I know in my family would turn up their nose if offered Migas. Chorizo is a nice side as are refried beans....top with some salsa and boy you're in heaven. I appreciate seeing the recipe and I'll be making some Migas tomorrow.
BTW, I've never heard of using bread in a Migas recipe. It must be a regional thing.
 

It all depends on what part of Mexico you come from. This recipe is very similar to what my Grandmother and mother call Migas. Like in any culture recipes differ from region to region.
 

What people have to realize, is that Mexican food varies from region to region. My family is from Mexico and I know migas as a dish with corn tortillas and egg. Migas in another region might be (and seems to be the case here) completely different. Just as Chorizo is different in Spain than Chorizo in Mexico, same name, different food.
 

i'm from texas, y'all, and we know migas, eat 'em every sunday, just about. what you've described above are authentic migas (tex-mex style), although many texans would argue that you really oughta add some jalapenos, some onion, and get rid of them beans, except as a side dish. oh yeah, and the cilantro. where's the cilantro? sprinkle on afterwards, or add just before the eggs are done, either way is fine. but anyhow, them's migas, alright. at least in texas. and we know migas, we do. :)
 

Hi all,

I'm Mexican from Mexico City and all of you are absolutely right. There are two kinds of Migas: the egg based ones which come from the Northern part of Mexico and the Migas Soup dish which is well-known in the central part of the country. In fact, the soup recipe is the one my family prepares, and later I came to know the Migas "norteñas" through a friend who's family's origin is in the North. So there you are... no conflict at all. We're talking about two different recipes with the same name, probably the link between both is that they are based on left-overs, one bread one tortilla.
 

we had a mexican lady cook for our family when I was young. And she called the scrambled eggs, fresh corn tortillas and a freshly made tomato salsa.
I remember her telling my mom that migas meant crumbs and it was like a dialect just depended where you came from. Mrs Sanchez made some of the best food I can remember and now I gonna make migas for a Sunday early dinner. Thanks
 

Hi, I'm from Austin Texas and most "Tex-Mex" restaurants around here serve migas with corn tortilla chips mixed in (instead of tortillas) and with cheese on top. They ROCK! One place that I frequent called Chapala (no one speaks English there) also offers a jar of Mexican Oregano on the tables which I love to sprinkle over the migas and the standard refried beans on the side. This is more unusual, though. Another common side with Austin style migas is pan fried potatos...mmmmmmm. OF course you get your choice of corn or flour tortillas. Just throwing that out there for interest. I'm always searching for the ultimate migas.
 

I really enjoy migas with corn tortillas, however, only recently learned about the bread version, which originates in Spain(go figure), while perusing an Argentine cookbook.

The way they do it in the Pampas, consists of day-old sourdough bread, onion, garlic, olive oil, bacon, and sweet paprika. It can be served with eggs or without.

(Originally from California, living in New York)
 

That first guy was really rude. I don't like people like that. They think they know something and then they have to bash someone. Not even one constructive comment but only criticism. That type of person needs counseling before they crack. In Texas, "migas" is what the author described, not a soup with bread. Please don't write ignorant statements next time Garcia.
 

For quick, easy migas: crumble (coarsely) some tostadas into the eggs right when you start to scramble them. When they're almost done, pour in some drained Ro-Tel (I prefer the chunky style). Stir in some grated cheese just as they're done. Try Mexican 4-cheese blend. I also put drained ripe olives (sliced) in mine. Serve with pan-fried potatoes (I use the frozen ones) and sliced avocadoes with lime juice. And, of course, tortillas. Mmmmmm!
 

From what I've seen (as a Texican haha), Migas is both the Spanish soup and a Tex-Mex eggs dish. Mexicans have a similar dish called chilaquiles. I know quite a few Mexicans (esp. in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez) that don't know what the eggs migas are. I've heard from somewhere that it was invented in Austin (they're probably stretching it), but I don't know who made that claim.
 

Yep, Blanca Garcia was a tad rude, and sort of missed the point. This page proves the 'net a great resource once again. The variations and regional differences are part of what you can hope to learn online that you quite probably won't in print. Art's kitchen seems to be an all or nothing kind of guy as well. Too bad for him.

With deepest apologies to Blanca Garcia on behalf of all us ignorant slobs, I will try 'Huevos con tortillas' on my wife tonight. Thanks to all of you who provided huevos variations 'cause that's the version I'm going with (Mercedes will provide the exact recipe, I believe). If I ever find the soup recipe, I might try that too. These central Mexico proponents could have actually added to the conversation had they provided a recipe.
 

Hi I'm originally from South Texas (Laredo) and my mom's parents came to this country during the Mexican Revolution (they were from Northern Mexico). My mom used to make migas by sauteing onion, adding corn tortillas - fry them just a bit, then adding tomatoes and scrambled eggs. I went to school in Austin and restaurants used to add cheese - which I thought was great.
When I make migas now, I start with olive oil or some type of healthy oil, saute onions about 1/8 to 1/4 red onion, add the corn tortillas and saute for a bit. Then I will add tomatoes and the scrambled eggs. I also add cheese or turkey bacon if I want. It's all a matter of taste. If I don't have onions or tomatoes I just use a chunky salsa instead
Jo from Laredo - now Colorado
 

Have to agree w/ others that indicate how ignorant this first post is... Many recipes in many cultures have variations and in my limited exposure, the version I am most acquainted with is the Omelette-like version. I grew up in South Texas (about as south as you can go - Harlingen) and my mother, when tired after a long day of work, would cook us Migas for dinner. She would tear up strips of corn tortillas and fry them just to crispy and throw in some eggs and then scramble it all up. As kids we preferred it with ketchup (sounds kinda gross now.) It was easy and tasty, and we considered it a treat. I never saw it on any menu until I went to college at Texas A & M Univ. and found it on a menu in a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in nearby downtown Bryan. Their variation included green peppers, onion and cheese and it was topped off with fresh slices of avocado. Yummy!!! Ever since, I have been experimenting with whatever I have available! Ham, bacon, chorizo (when I can find it as I now live in PA)whatever... I've grown up a bit so the usual condiment of ketchup we used as kids has now become variations of salsa, and I enjoy it as a treat for dinner, lunch or breakfast. Quick and easy, and my 3 yr old loves it, too! A classic...

DD
 

blanc garcia, is a spoiled rude person, as for her migas , bread really give me a break, can you just see someone orgering I would like some bread migas, you would be laughed out of the state of Texas,,,,,,
 

Just saw Migas on the Brunch menu while dining near Dallas, TX. Yep, it's definately an egg dish down here. We like ours with cheese and salsa too!
 

I understand the version made with bread originated in Spain.

I'm curious, how much "french bread" do they eat in Mexico?
 

People, I have the solution...look it up on wiki-pedia, and you'll see that although Migas originates in Spain/Portugal, there is also a Tex-Mex variation. Voila! Everyone's right. It's like the word "tortilla"--there's the Mexican version, and the Spanish (which is a potato-omelette)!
 

Speaking of migas....Just today, I had an awesome breakfast in Austin, TX at the Kerbey Lane Cafe. I had migas made with tortilla chips, onion and tomatoes (not sure what else) with ranchero sauce on top. Spanish rice and black beans on the side. Absolutely delicious.
 

I'm from Austin as well, someone far above said most restaurants here cook them with tortilla chips. Being a chef and having eaten at more restaurants than I can shake a stick at - NO, most restaurants do not seve them with tortilla chips on top. Some do (as Kerbey Lane does (also mentioned above), but most serve them Tex-mex style with corn tortilla chips. tortilla chip migas are more in the minority here. Even IHOP (of all places), serves them with corn tortillas.

Also, as others have said, how Migas are made, is a regional thing. It's believed they originated from Portugal and Spain. Anyone who says someone else's recipe is wrong, is far too bullheaded.
 

Correction: My comment directly above this one should have said only "most h ere make them with corn tortilla STRIPS" NOT corn tortilla chips.
 

the migas i grew up with, from my portuguese grandmother and spanish (spain) grandfather, uses salted flour dough balls, sauteed green bell pepper and chorizo. now as a vegan i sub soyrizo for the meat, but this is a fantastic meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Real migas like real pizza vary region to region- no one is really right or wrong, cultural variations happen all the time.
 

the migas i grew up with, learned from my portuguese grandmother and spanish (spain) grandfather, uses salted flour dough balls, sauteed green bell pepper and chorizo. now, as a vegan i sub soyrizo for the meat but it is a great meal for breakfast lunch or dinner. real migas like real pizza vary region to region. no one way is right or wrong, cultural variations happen all the time. and if someone were to go to the "original" we would all probably be way off.
 

I was born and raised in central Mexico and attended college in northern Mexico (Monterrey). I now live in Austin, Texas. I first ate migas in college in Monterrey, they were the kind of migas I now associate with tex-mex food. If i had to describe them to a mexican, I would say it's "huevos a la mexicana con totopos y queso". Now I've recently learned of another kind of migas made with stale bread (to answer the question of another person, french bread in the form of bolillos is eaten every day by millions of mexicans) that is more of a soup. I saw a few recipes and it looks like a dish my mom makes that she calls garlic soup.
Like Blanca, I used to have a cow (and it's still a bit of a peeve) when folks here in the US refered to something as "mexican", when in reality it's like nothing back home. And don't get me started on the "spanish rice" they serve in "mexican" restaurants here in the US, talk about a misnomer!!!
 

Migas. I am from Austin, Texas living in Seattle, Washington now. I was craving some Migas and low and behold this site came up. Random blog I guess but cool nonetheless. I am going to go home and cook the corn-tortilla-tex-mex-non-bread version and I don't think my stomach will care if it's the "right" recipe or not. ;o)
 

As a bachelor, sometimes I cook on the fly: 4-eggs scrambled over a little butter, chunky salsa poured from the jar, and a hand full of crunched corn chips right out of the bag (crunched with my hand before tossing them into the pan).
 

The migas I grew up with was SO easy and yummy, pure comfort food. We just scrambled up eggs with a little milk, salt, and pepper. Tore up flour tortillas into smallish strips, dumped it all in the frying pan, sprinkled generously with cheese and cooked till light and fluffy then blamo, you've got heaven on a plate served with a side of salsa. : ) Enjoy MY real migas! LOL
 

Right on, Blanca Garcia and Pistor. My parents are from el D.F. Migas and chilaquiles are great. I love the american pizza we know here, but was able to also appreciate the authentic when visiting Italy. Maybe some of the deep rooted texans who so fervently defend their version could visit central Mexico to broaden their horizons. Just be careful.
 

Comfort/soul food like migas/chilaquiles - their names often vary by region. I learned this dish as "migas" from a guy I dated from Texas - he was 100% of Mexican descent, his family had lived in Texas since when it was still part of Mexico. So is his family's dish less Mexican? (He called himself "Texican", laughing always, btw).

When I went to school in Monterrey, this dish was called "chilaquiles" and was my fav bkfst at the Tec. First thing I wanted to eat after a bout with Amoebas, when I got out of the hospital (NOOOO- no more bland rice or jello, please!). Yeah, back when my stomach was still cast-iron, lol.

PLEASE, spare us all the vitriol about how one dish is RIGHT and all other variations are WRONG. It's bad food karma for you and bad for digestion for the rest of us! ;)
 

I am Mexican as well, and this is the migas (minus the beans, which we refry and serve on the side) that I know and love. It may be work noting that "migas" translates loosely to "crumbs," so it would make sense that a variety of recipes that use bits of leftover breads/tortillas might be shorthanded in this way.
 

I am from west Texas and all the migas I have ever eatin have had corn tortilla in them...All cooked by Mexicans...Never had it with bread unless it was wrapped in a flour tortilla for a burrito...
 

You guys are hilarious with all your "right ways to cook Migas" and the "where I come from" stuff!
Dude, I'm from California, and was recently given a recipe from a magazine called Vaquero (Cowboy) Migas. Until I got this recipe I had never heard of it. After I made it I couldn't stop thinking about it. I craved it, and even dreamed about it! It is so simple which I love because I'm not a cook. Corn tortillas torn up in pieces, fried in oil until almost crisp, drain; eggs, salt and pepper cooked to a soft scramble, then fold in tortillas, a handful of cheese, chopped onion, diced tomatoes and chopped jalepeno. Cook until mixed and eggs are done. BAM! Top with hot sauce and then don't bother me, I'm eating! : p
 

This might put this straight at last: "...Migas (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmiɣas]) ("crumbs" in English) is the name used for a dish in Spanish cuisine and a significantly different dish in Tex-Mex cuisine. They are native to Mexico, where they are called Chilaquiles. The Spanish discovered maize in America and then brought it, along with various recipes such as Chilaquiles (Migas) to Spain..."

Souce: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migas

So much was bought over to Europe from the "New World" by the Spanish and then taken State side that it's no wonder that certain origines get mixed up. I live in Portugal where they beleive that Migas are a "Traditional" local dish and the ones I have spoken to about it originally coming from Mexico via Spain don't take the news too easily. lol
 

Well Vaqueros, Migas (Cumbs or leftovers)was a favorite in the cow camp.Here's how it goes: Olive oil in the pan,brown any left over meat or sausage.Mix eggs,Ro-Tel tomatoes and chili's,& seasoning. Add the mix to the pan and add crumbled corn tortilla chips. Cook like scrambled eggs. Pull off the fire, add cheese & cover.
Good Chuck!
 

Hello! I'm am 25 years old from northern California, and now live in northern Texas. My mother is from Mexicali, my father from Guadalajara Jalisco Mx. And I have never heard of using bread in this dish. I've traveled to, el DF (capitol of mexico), Cancun/Playa del Carmen, Sinoaloa, San Luis Potosi, Laredo... And many other beautiful places in Mexico. And I have never once encountered the "soup" version. I would love to try it. I feel I owe it to my heritage. No matter where it originated from.
I have made/ate chilaquiles!
I absolutely love them. My mother makes a wonderful breakfast using both dishes.
Cut tortillas into strips, or triangles, fry them as if you would make tortilla chips. Set them aside. Heat green/red salsa to a boil. Mix in tortillas. Cook to where the tortillas have absorbed the salsa. Keep on very low heat.
In a separate pan, 1-2 tbls oil, two eggs. Not scrambled.
Set them on medium-low, cover. Don't mix or flip! Cook to your liking.
When finished with your egg, plate the Chilaquiles, egg on top, and beans on the side. (If available)
For a delicious meal, add lettuce, Crema fresca, tomatoes, queso fresco and a slice of avocado.
I make this for my husband, and he loooves it! I use store bought salsa when I don't have any in my fridge. =o)
Another dish that I have only had in Guadalajara, and in south Texas is Tortas Ahogadas.
If you don't like soggy bread, this is not for you. This torta is drowned in salsa roja. Soooo good. I recommend people to try it.
Thank you for reading my post. Hope you keep enjoying our humble latino dishes. =o)

Its wonderful expanding our food criteria. =oD