This is a pretty obvious combo that takes a relatively small amount of prep and very little effort once you're ready to cook. It should serve about 4 but if you're jonesin' for grub after a rough night on the town, you'll probably be able to finish a half-a-pan-full on your own. Here's what you'll need:
5 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
2 large idaho potatoes
8 links breakfast sausage
1 handful cilantro
salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp garlic powder
4 eggs (optional)
First the prep:
You want to start out by washing and removing the skin from the potatoes. No dirt in your breakfast please. Next cut the potatoes into 3/4 inch cubes, about the size of the top half of a man's thumb. Don't worry if they're not exact.
Next chop the onion and red bell pepper, and dice the garlic. The onion and pepper pieces should be of similar size to create some consistency of texture in the dish which will make it nicer to look at and easier to eat. The garlic should be cut pretty small.
Slice the breakfast sausage into 4 or 5 pieces each.
Lastly, roughly chop your cilantro.
Get to the cooking:
Put your potatoes in a pot of water; it can be a small one. Put the pot on to boil. Once the water is boiling, leave it be for about five minutes. Then strain the potatoes and put them somewhere cool, like near an open window so that they stop cooking.
First get your largest frying pan out, it has got to be big because all of your ingredients will eventually be in there. Put it on medium-high heat and throw your chopped onion and 3 tbsp olive oil in with some salt, mixing/tossing/stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes, add the sausage and keep mixing. After another 2 minutes, add your mushrooms and some fresh ground pepper. Keep stirring occasionally. After another 5 minutes, add your bell pepper, garlic, spices and the remainder of your olive oil. Let all of this mix up for another 5 minutes, the pan should start looking pretty sweet at this point.
Now the onion has been in the pot for approximately 17 minutes. Put the potatoes in and mix it up again. You really just want to heat the potatoes all the way through and get the flavors from the pan into them. This should take another five minutes. At this point toss in your chopped cilantro and as much salt and pepper as you want. Toss the entire mixture around until the cilantro is dispersed evenly and turn the heat off, leaving the pan to sit for a few minutes before serving.
Optional eggs:
Although the concoction that you have just prepared is rather delicious on its own, it is only made better by some eggs. You can fry an egg and lay it on top of your plate, letting the yolk soak into the potato/sausage/veggie medley. Or, you can
lightly scramble a bunch and combine them in the pan with the lot just before the cilantro.
