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Huevos al albañil (bricklayer's eggs)
Huevos al albañil: soft scrambled eggs simmered in a spicy roasted tomato and chile salsa
Huevos al albañil, 'bricklayer's eggs', come from the fondas and food stalls of central Mexico that feed builders a filling breakfast before the sun gets hot: scrambled eggs cooked gently and then bathed in a spicy salsa of charred tomato and serrano chile. They are eaten with warm corn tortillas and refried beans, and they make an equally good quick dinner. The mistake is cooking the eggs fully before they meet the salsa; they keep cooking in it and end up dry and rubbery. Chef's tip: char the tomatoes and chiles until properly blackened in spots, which gives the salsa its smoky depth.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the salsa
- 3 tomatoesmedium
- 2 serrano chilesuse 1 for mild
- 1 clove garlicunpeeled
- ¼ onion
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup water
For the eggs
- 6 eggs
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
To serve
- 6 corn tortillas (optional)warmed
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat a dry heavy frying pan over a high heat and char 3 tomatoes, 2 serrano chiles, 1 clove garlic and ¼ onion, turning, until blackened in spots and soft, about 8 minutes. Peel the garlic.
8 minStep 2: Blend the charred vegetables with ½ tsp salt and ¼ cup water into a slightly chunky salsa.
Step 3: Beat 6 eggs with ¼ tsp salt. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, add the eggs and stir slowly until they form soft, still-wet curds, about 2 minutes.
2 minStep 4: Pour the salsa over the eggs, lower the heat and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, without stirring much, until the salsa is bubbling and the eggs are just set throughout.
4 minStep 5: Serve hot with 6 corn tortillas.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does huevos al albañil (bricklayer's eggs) take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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