andrejthechef
MexicoEggsBreakfast

Huevos Rancheros

Traditional huevos rancheros: fried eggs on lightly fried corn tortillas, covered with a charred tomato and chile salsa and served with creamy refried pinto beans.

prep
15 min
cook
40 min
total
55 min
serves
4
level
easy
Huevos rancheros: two sunny-side-up eggs on corn tortillas covered with red tomato salsa, with a spoonful of refried beans on the side of the plate

The name means ranch-style eggs, and the plate is built from what a ranch kitchen has on hand: corn tortillas, eggs, beans and a cooked salsa. Each egg sits on a lightly fried tortilla and is covered with a warm red salsa, with refried beans on the side. It is a substantial breakfast in Mexico, and more than most people need before lunch.

The salsa decides whether the dish is good. Charring the tomatoes, chiles, onion and garlic in a dry pan before blending gives it a smoky, slightly sweet flavor, and frying it in hot oil for a few minutes cooks off the raw edge. Fry the eggs last so the yolks are still runny when the plates reach the table.

Huevos Rancheros is one of the best breakfasts from around the world.

method

  1. Heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Roast the tomatoes, chiles, the 1/2 onion and the garlic for 10 to 12 minutes, turning, until blistered and charred in spots and soft. Peel the garlic.

  2. Blend the roasted vegetables with 1 teaspoon of salt and 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water until fairly smooth with a little texture left.

  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of lard or oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the salsa (it spatters) and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until it thickens and darkens. Taste and add salt. Keep warm.

  4. For the beans, heat 2 tablespoons of lard or oil in a skillet over medium heat and soften the chopped 1/4 onion for 3 minutes. Add the beans and the reserved liquid, and mash with a potato masher. Cook, stirring, 8 to 10 minutes, until thick and creamy. Season with salt.

  5. Heat about 1 cm (1/2 inch) of oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry each tortilla for about 10 seconds per side, until softened and just starting to blister, and drain on paper towels. They should stay pliable, not crisp.

  6. Fry the eggs in a nonstick skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the whites are set with crisp, lacy edges and the yolks are runny.

  7. Overlap two tortillas on each warm plate, top each with an egg, and spoon the hot salsa over the whites, leaving the yolks mostly exposed. Serve the beans on the side with a little cilantro if you like.

chef's tips

  • The salsa and beans both keep for 3 days in the refrigerator, so on a busy morning all you have to do is warm them and fry the eggs.
  • If you cannot find plum tomatoes, use any ripe ones. Pale, out-of-season tomatoes make a thin salsa, and a pinch of sugar helps.
  • Cook the eggs just before serving. Held on a warm plate, the whites turn rubbery.