Venezuelan Eggs Will Blow Your Usual Weekend Scramble Out Of The Water
How do you like your eggs in the morning? How about with a South American twist? Perfect on their own, as a hearty filling for traditional arepas (or whatever toasty carbs you have on hand), there's no mystery behind the popularity of Venezuela's vibrant, vegetable-rich variation on scrambled eggs. "Perico", as the Venezuelans call their particular national egg preparation, means parakeet. Some say the name's inspired by how the colors of the eggs mimic a particular species' bright yellow plumage.
The basic formula is simple — finely chopped onions are sauteed in a little oil, until the bite is gone from the allium and then tomatoes and eggs are added, scrambling together until the eggs reach your desired level of firmness. If you don't have particularly vibrant tomatoes, add them at the same time as the onion to concentrate the flavors, and if you love cilantro, then adding it at the end is a must. Many recipes add diced bell peppers to the base, and cheese, whether tangy, crumbly cotija or a slice of Swiss melted on your arepa to make a Venezuelan-style bodega breakfast, is always welcome.
For a meatier treat, try Andean-style Perico, which incorporates chopped chorizo for a flavor and color boost. Perico is the kind of humble dish that uses whatever's in the pantry — but it tastes so good you end up planning your leftovers so you'll have enough to make it each weekend.
Perico is fantastic, just don't call it Shakshuka
While it may be tempting to lump Perico with other viral egg dishes like Shakshuka (originating from Maghreb), you really shouldn't. Both may put their own spins on eggs but are distinct to their cultures. Shakshuka is a poached egg that can be difficult to master but showcases eggs in a completely different manner than Perico.
Perico, on the other hand, is a scramble — the wheelhouse of hot breakfasts. Once you've got the flavorings prepped, you can treat the eggs just as you'd cook them any other day, depending on how you and the people you're feeding enjoy their scrambled eggs. It might be a more active process than baking eggs, but scrambling is also significantly quicker. That's not to say one is better or worse — as a Venezolana chef and Tiktoker points out, "Shakshuka is Shakshuka, but Perico is Perico". As she shows in her recipe — Perico is the kind of dish that starts out as a viral weekend treat but has the potential to become a regular family favorite.
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