I'm not sure where I first became aware of breakfast tacos, but I'm certainly grateful. These are loosely inspired by breakfast tacos I ate on a business trip to San Antonio. I learned the technique of melting cheese onto the tortillas from Elemi restaurant, which was featured on Padma Lakshmi's "Taste the Nation."
Process:
Cut a few strips of bacon into small pieces. Cook them on low heat (start with a cold pan) until the fat has rendered and they are crisp. Remove from pan. Pour out excess fat, leaving a thin layer in the pan. Beat eggs (2 per person) and season with salt and pepper. Pour eggs into the pan. When the edges begin to set, put the bacon back into the pan. Stir over low heat to make a soft scramble.
Meanwhile, lay tortillas on a hot pan and top with cheese. Once the cheese melts, flip the tortillas so the cheese side is down. Leave face down over high heat until the cheese begins to brown. Remove tortillas using a spatula (or your hand, if you're wild like that). Add the egg and bacon mixture to the tortillas. Top with red onion, cilantro, and your favorite hot sauce or salsa.
Tips:
I keep cut up bacon bits in a plastic bag or container in my freezer. Cut up fresh bacon and freeze the pieces in a single layer on a sheet pan or plate. Once the pieces are frozen, transfer them to a container. (Freezing them in a single layer ensures that they don't freeze into a large solid hunk of bacon bits.) Whenever I need a dash of bacon to jazz up a dish, I can grab a handful. Because the pieces are so small, they cook quickly and there's no need to thaw them before cooking them. It's a great way to start pasta dishes or braises.
Save your bacon grease. It lasts forever (I think? Don't quote me on that.) in the fridge. You can use it in place of butter or oil for just about anything, including pie crust.
I highly recommend Marie Sharp's hot sauce. The base is made of carrots and the heat comes from habaneros.
I used my griddle to melt the cheese onto the tortillas, but a pan works just fine. Make sure it's hot!