Huevos Rancheros
I know I'm not alone in this, so I'm not afraid to admit it, I only recently started getting into eggs. I can't quite eat a runny yolk, but I'm getting there! One of the best parts of this recent development is that I finally made huevos rancheros. Boy, have I been missing out!
Huevos Ranchero is a very common breakfast dish served in Mexico. There are many variations, but they always consist of fried eggs served over fried corn tortillas (tostadas) topped with a tomato-chili sauce.
Note: If you don't have freshly made pinto/canary beans, you can always substitute low-sodium canned beans. Please just make sure not to rinse them, and have some water handy to add to the beans as you fry them to make the refried beans.
Huevos Rancheros
Makes 6
Ingredients
4 medium size fresh and ripe tomatoes, stewed ¼ oinion 1 garlic clove 1 or 2 canned chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce)
Vegetable oil (about 10 tablespoons) 1 tsp cumin
1 tbs dried oregano
1lb Mexican chorizo
2 ½ cups of cooked pinto beans and their broth (or canned beans, see note above)
6 corn tortillas
Salt
Toppings
6 fried eggs
Queso fresco, crumbled
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
Directions
Tomato-chile sauce: In a blender, add tomato, onion, garlic, canned chipotles, and about 1/4 cup of water. Blend until smooth. If you prefer a more rustic sauce, don’t blend too much.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat on a skillet. Fry the mix, when it starts boiling add cumin and oregano. Season with salt to taste. Remove from heat and set aside until ready for use.
Chorizo Refried Beans: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium pan over high heat until shimmering. Add chorizo and break up with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir frequently. Continue cooking until well-browned and slightly crisp. About 15 minutes. Remove chorizo from pan onto a plate, leaving behind any oil. You want about 6 tablespoons of oil left on the pan, if it seems like there isn't much left, add some more vegetable oil. Heat oil over medium high heat until shimmering, but not smoking.
Add the beans to the skillet, reserving the broth to add later. Smash the beans using a potato masher until they have a paste-like consistency.
Add the broth little by little. Stir and keep mashing the beans until they have a creamy consistency. Add more bean broth as needed to have the desired consistency. Add the cooked chorizo, stir to combine. Remove from heat and season with salt if needed.
Tostadas: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a medium cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working one at a time, fry corn tortillas until lightly browned but still pliable, about 15 seconds per side. Transfer to a paper towel to drain and stack them as you work. Cover with foil or a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
To assemble, spread an even layer (about 2 tablespoons) of refried beans on each tortilla, and place on a serving plate. Top with fried eggs. Spoon salsa all over the top, leaving the yolks exposed. Sprinkle with queso fresco, cilantro, and sliced avocados.
Serve immediately with a wedge of lime (and some mimosas, if you ask me)!
