Higadito Falso
Higadito Falso·(ee-gah-dee-toh fahl-soh)
Mañanas en la Cocina: Breakfasts & Morning Rhythms
In the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, this is the ultimate hangover cure and post-party restorative—a towering, spongy cake of eggs historically fortified with pork liver. But as the dish migrated, practical cooks swapped the metallic tang of offal for shredded chicken and rich bone broth, creating this "falso" version. It keeps the soul of the dish intact: an intoxicating, saffron-laced spice blend and a masterful technique of braising the eggs in the hot broth. It's a brilliant weeknight adaptation that smells exactly like a village fiesta and tastes like your abuela is standing right there in your kitchen.
Ingredients
- pork lard1 tbsp
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic3 small clove
- Roma tomatoes2 med
- tomatillos4 med
- chicken bone broth3 cup
- cooked chicken2 cup
- ground cloves1/8 tsp
- ground cumin1/4 tsp
- saffron threads1/8 tsp
- dried Mexican oregano1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- eggs8 large
- fresh flat-leaf parsley1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Heat the lard in a wide Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion until translucent.
Take your time here to let the onions sweeten for about four minutes before adding the garlic to cook for one minute more.
- 02
Fry the tomatoes, tomatillos, and spices into a thick paste.
Add the tomatoes, tomatillos, cloves, cumin, saffron, oregano, and salt, cooking them down for a few minutes until they soften and release their juices into a rich, jammy base.
- 03
Pour in the bone broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
Once simmering, stir in the shredded chicken and let it bathe for five minutes so the meat absorbs the deep, earthy flavors.
- 04
Vigorously beat the eggs with the chopped parsley and pour them slowly over the simmering broth.
Stop right there and do not stir, or you will end up with cloudy, disappointing scrambled egg soup.
- 05
Gently fold the cooking eggs to form a cohesive, spongy cake.
Wait thirty seconds for the edges to set, then use a wooden spoon to push the cooked egg toward the center, allowing raw egg to flow into the hot broth at the edges. Repeat this gentle braising motion for about eight minutes until you have large, textured curds soaking up the liquid.
- 06
Remove from the heat and let the pan rest for three minutes before serving.
Ladle generous chunks of the egg cake and saffron-laced broth into wide bowls, serving piping hot alongside fresh corn tortillas and a fiery red salsa.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.