With the whole family pitching in, this dish was quickly assembled and made a festive Labor Day weekend brunch. Home-grown tomatoes added extra sparkle. A small bowl of orange wedges sufficed for dessert.
This recipe yields four large servings with two eggs each. Use small tortillas or halve large ones to make smaller servings. One egg/tortilla (or tortilla half) would satisfy many people, especially if half the plate is filled with lightly dressed mixed greens and sunflower sprouts.
Consider making the salsa and guacamole a little in advance or purchasing them already prepared to save time and eliminate steps.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons butter
4 large multi-grain or 8 small corn tortillas
5 large tomatoes or ½ box Pomi Chopped Tomatoes
1 small purple onion, chopped
¼ chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few leaves for garnishing
1 large garlic clove, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lime
8 eggs
2 cans whole black beans
¼ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
½ cup plain yogurt
1 cup guacamole (See recipe under Eric’s Burrito Bowl.)
Preparation:
Warm 1 tablespoon oil in heavy skillet. Add a layer of tortillas and cook 1 minute.
Flip and cook other side. Remove from skillet, set in pie pan, cover with aluminum foil, and place in warm oven or toaster oven. Repeat until all tortillas are warmed.
Puree tomatoes, onion, lime juice, cilantro (reserving stems for garnish), garlic, and salt in blender.
Pour carefully into the same (now empty) heavy skillet and simmer, stirring until salsa thickens, about 10 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to separate pan. Add drained beans. Stir very gently only occasionally so beans retain their shape and glossy color. (Don’t mash!)
In separate skillet, fry 2 eggs in 1/2 teaspoon butter.
Set aside to keep warm. Continue until all eggs are fried.
Plate Huevos Rancheros:
Lay 1 large or 2 overlapping small tortillas on plate. Spoon beans on each tortilla.
Gently lay eggs atop beans (2 on large tortilla or 1 on each small tortilla).
Drizzle salsa over everything.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Add dollops of yogurt and guacamole. Garnish with reserved cilantro.
