Huevos Rancheros With Roasted Tomato Sauce

By á-174942

Ingredients

• ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE:
• 7 plum tomatoes cored
• 2 serrano peppers stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 1/2 small white onion chopped
• 1 large garlic clove chopped
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• HUEVOS RANCHEROS:
• 4 large thick corn tortillas preferably stale
• 1 1/2 cups bottled salsa - (if not using roasted tomato sauce)
• 1/4 cup canola oil plus more as needed
• 8 large eggs
• Salt to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup canned refried pinto beans warmed
• 2/3 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• 1/3 cup crumbled queso añejo or panela cheese (or grated dry Monterey jack cheese)
• 1 tablespoon coarsely-chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 small avocado - (optional) halved, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes

Preparation

Step 1

To make the tomato sauce, in a dry fry pan over high heat, roast the tomatoes, turning them as they char slightly, for about 5 minutes. In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, chilies, onion and garlic and process until blended but still chunky. In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the tomato mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the sauce to a wide, shallow saucepan and keep warm.

Preheat an oven to 200 degrees.

If the tortillas are still fresh, spread them in a single layer on a work surface and let them dry out for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, if using bottled salsa, warm it in a wide, shallow saucepan.

In a large cast-iron or nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the 1/4 cup oil. One at a time, fry the tortillas, turning once, about 5 seconds per side. Using tongs, transfer them to paper towels to drain and keep warm in the oven.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the fry pan cool down, about 2 minutes. Break 4 of the eggs into the pan and fry them slowly until the whites are set and the yolks have begun to thicken but are not hard (cover the pan if you like firm yolks), about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the eggs to a roasting pan and keep warm in the oven. Add a little more oil to the pan, if needed, and fry the remaining 4 eggs.

Remove the tortillas from the oven. Using tongs, dip each tortilla quickly in the warmed tomato sauce and place on warmed individual plates. Spread 1/4 cup of the refried beans evenly on each tortilla and top each with 2 of the fried eggs. Spoon more of the tomato sauce generously over the edges of each tortilla and the whites of the eggs, leaving the yolks uncovered. Spoon a little crema over the sauce, then sprinkle with the cheese and cilantro. Scatter the avocado around the edges of the plates and serve immediately.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Crema is a thick, rich, slightly soured type of heavy cream. Queso añejo, or "aged cheese," is a mature, dry form of queso fresco, a soft, salty, tangy fresh cheese made from cow's milk. Panela, also a fresh cheese, is mild in flavor, with a smooth, firm, moist texture.