One of the easiest dishes for children and adults is scrambled eggs with ham. The version of scrambled eggs with ham, as we know it today, originated in the popular Madrid restaurant Casa Lucio. The secret of good huevos rotos con jamón is to make the yolk runny.
Scrambled eggs with ham, a Spanish classic
Scrambled eggs have had different variations, from poached eggs to fried eggs with scorched edges. But today, what is known as huevos rotos con jamón, are eggs fried in a frying pan, accompanied by potatoes and with slices of Serrano ham on top.
As mentioned, this popular recipe emerged in the 80s in the Casa Lucio restaurant. Their fame has spread considerably over the years, so much so that you can now find them in many restaurants in Spain. It is an effortless dish; you can also make it at home.
At the same time, from the recipe invented at Casa Lucio, different variants have emerged that accompany huevos rotos with other sausages such as bacon, chorizo, or chistorra sausage. But if there is something indispensable about huevos rotos and that is a must, it is to serve them freshly made and boiling.
How to make scrambled eggs with ham?
Ingredients
- Four large eggs.
- Four or five good-sized potatoes.
- 150 grams of Serrano ham.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Coarse salt.
- Aromatic herbs to decorate (optional).
Elaboration
- The first thing to do is to fry the potatoes. Peel them and cut them into more or less thin slices or strips.
- Then it would help if you soaked the potatoes in water so that they release all the starch.
- Remove the potatoes from the water and scald them with paper towels.
- Place plenty of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan, and add the potatoes when boiling. Reduce the heat to medium, so the fries cook slowly; when the potatoes' texture is tender, turn the heat back up so the potatoes are brown.
- Remove the potatoes from the heat and place them on paper towels to release the cooking oil.
- After a few minutes, place the potatoes in the dish or plate where you will serve the broken eggs with ham, and add a pinch of salt on top.
- It is time to fry the eggs with oil and salt on the yolk.
- Remove the eggs from the pan with the help of a spatula so they don't break.
- Place the eggs on top of the fried potatoes, and then add the slices of Serrano ham. You can also place the ham between the potatoes and the eggs; this depends on the taste of the person preparing the recipe.
- Finally, sprinkle some of your favorite aromatic herbs on top for decoration and serve immediately.
Some tips and tricks for good scrambled eggs
This recipe is straightforward to prepare and is perfect for serving as a main dish, even if you do different dishes such as croquettes or squid. Although the huevos rotos con jamón is done on a platter, from which each diner eats, it is advisable to help them individually.
If you can afford it, place the ingredients of this recipe in a small earthenware or aluminum casserole so that the heat is preserved much better while you fry the eggs. The potatoes will retain their heat for much longer.
On the other hand, placing the ham on top of the potatoes and underneath the eggs allows the sausage to catch some of the heat emanating from the fried potatoes; in this way, the flavor of the ham also varies a little, but the difference is noticeable. And never fry the ham in oil. It is better to put it raw on the potatoes or eggs; in this way, the ham will release its natural fat little by little. Pay special attention to the amount of salt you add: remember that Serrano ham is already salty.
Finally, the secret of good broken eggs with ham is leaving the yolk liquid; this way, the yolk can be broken and mixed with the rest of the ingredients. As the name suggests, huevos rotos is a recipe in which the yolk must be halted while the other ingredients are mixed with the yolk.
The fried potatoes are used to soak them with the yolk and, thus, little by little, consume them. Remember to serve some bread with this recipe! More than one of your guests will probably need it to finish eating the yolk.
