Thursday, May 27, 2010

In the Kitchen: Huevos Rancheros

If you love mexican food but have never tried this hearty breakfast dish, you're in for a real treat, which is also delicious for lunch or dinner! As with many dishes, there are a variety of ways to make it from how you cook your eggs to the ingredients in your sauce. This is how I love 'em, feel free to roll with it from here. This recipe makes four servings and you'll find a printable recipe card at the end of this post.


Ingredients:
8 corn tortillas, fried
6 eggs, scrambled
1 cup refried pinto beans
shredded cheddar cheese

Ranchero Sauce:
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped tomatoes with their juice
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

To make the sauce, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, salt, jalapeno and garlic and cook for about a minute.

Next add the chopped tomatoes, chicken broth (can also use vegetable broth) and tomato paste and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh cilantro.


You can certainly leave the beans out, but they add a delicious flavor and heartiness to the dish. You can use canned beans or make them any way you like. I make mine from scratch using dried beans. I soak and rinse them, then cook them in water with some chili, garlic and onion powders and some cumin. I drain out most of the liquid, saving it, then mash them up with my mixer. Add more liquid back in as needed and season again to taste with the same spices plus some crushed red pepper and salt, if desired. I make these when we have tacos and enchiladas and always have leftovers, which are perfect for this dish.


To prepare the tortillas, heat about 1/4" of oil (I use canola) in a non-stick skillet and lightly fry the tortillas until they begin to bubble and brown a bit, flipping as needed.

Lay four tortillas on a baking sheet and spread about 1/4 cup beans on each and top with another tortilla.


Next, top the tortilla with the eggs, followed by the sauce and finally the shredded cheese. I like my eggs scrambled, but you can also try this dish with fried, or even poached, eggs.

Place the baking sheet under the broiler on low for about 5 minutes until the cheese starts to bubble. Serve immediately and enjoy!


The sauce and the beans can be made ahead of time and store well in the fridge, making this dish quick and easy to cook up when you're ready to eat. Add a side of tropical fruit or citrus salad and you have a hearty, impressive meal that's perfect morning, noon or night. My dad loves this dish, so guess what's on my Father's Day brunch menu!


And find more easy and delicious recipes here.