Breakfast Is Served, Mexican-Style

With beans, crispy tortillas, and a fried egg, Huevos Rancheros is one of the few Mexican dishes that don’t require a healthy serving of ground beef. Taking its roots in rural Mexico, the dish was a favorite second breakfast of cattle ranchers after a tiring morning of herding. A second breakfast is a mid-morning meal, taken before lunch—think of it as a sequel to that conservative bowl of oatmeal you had earlier in the morning.

Huevos Rancheros with Crispy Tortillas

Ingredients

• 1 medium red onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 can of baked beans
• 1 medium bell pepper
• A pinch of cumin
• A pinch of paprika
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 egg
• 2-3 pieces of medium flour tortilla
• Chopped cilantro (optional)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté onions, garlic, chili, beans and bell pepper.
2. Add cumin and paprika and continue cooking.
3. Add tomato paste and continue sautéing for 3 minutes.
4. Add diced tomatoes and simmer until most of the liquid evaporates.
5. Make a well and crack the egg in the middle of the beans. Cover with lid and cook the egg until it’s done. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with some chopped cilantro.
6. Meanwhile, cut tortillas into triangles then deep fry until golden brown and crispy. Serve along with the baked beans.

Photo and styling by Sam Lim

Source: Sam Lim for Northern Living, “Taste of Mexico,” January 2015