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Huevos rancheros

Fried eggs on crisp-edged corn tortillas with charred tomato salsa ranchera and beans

Huevos rancheros, 'ranch-style eggs', is the big country breakfast eaten all over Mexico: corn tortillas briefly fried in oil, topped with fried eggs and drowned in salsa ranchera, a warm, chunky sauce of charred tomatoes and serrano chillies, with refried beans on the side. The runny yolks mix with the spicy tomato sauce and the soft tortilla soaks it all up. Serve with avocado and coffee. Choose queso fresco made with vegetarian rennet. Chef's tip: fry the tortillas only for a few seconds a side; you want them pliable with crisp edges, not hard like tostadas, so you can cut them with a fork.
Total time
20 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

For the salsa ranchera

For the eggs

Method

0/6 done
  1. Step 1: Heat a dry heavy frying pan over a high heat. Roast 1 ⅛ lb ripe tomatoes, 2 serrano chillies, ¼ white onion and 1 clove garlic for 8 minutes, turning, until the skins are blistered and blackened in spots and the tomatoes are soft. Peel the garlic and pull the stems off the chillies.

    8 min
  2. Step 2: Pulse everything in a blender with ¾ tsp salt to a chunky sauce; ranchera should have some texture, not be a purée.

    1 min
  3. Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp of 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium-high heat, pour in the salsa and simmer for 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Keep warm. At the same time warm 9 oz refried beans in another small pan with a splash of water.

    4 min
  4. Step 4: Heat the rest of 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry each of 4 corn tortillas for 5–10 seconds a side, until soft with crisp edges, and lay them on plates.

    2 min
  5. Step 5: In the same oil over a medium heat, fry 4 eggs for 2–3 minutes, spooning hot oil over the whites, until they are set with lacy edges and the yolks still runny. Season with the rest of ¼ tsp salt.

    3 min
  6. Step 6: Put an egg on each tortilla and spoon the salsa ranchera round and over the whites, leaving the yolk showing. Add beans on the side, then crumble over 1 ¾ oz queso fresco and scatter with ⅓ oz fresh coriander and 1 avocado if using.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
390 kcal
Protein
16 g
Carbs
30 g
Fat
23 g
Fibre
8 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does huevos rancheros take?
About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 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.
What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
What can I use instead of white onion?
2 shallots per onion.

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