The dish is known for a certain flexibility. One US food writer cites a version from 1950s Texas where the eggs were poached in a tomato-bacon sauce and served on toast (see the Note, below). I consider this dish more a process than a recipe, and attempt to present it as such.
Over the years I've made (and eaten) Huevos Rancheros in countless ways. I remember with great fondness (and a certain amount of horror and disbelief, given the present state of the world) tortillas smeared with refried beans, topped with uncased chorizo, with fried eggs on top - then garnished with cheese, salsa, sour cream and green onions. "Broke the mout'," as they say in Honolulu. I must say such a preparation is far too rich for my blood (-sugar) these days.
I've worked to come up with a version that meets my current criteria, that tastes as good and is as filling as what I used to fix. Looking back, all I really miss is the chorizo - and a little of that wouldn't hurt a thing. It is so seldom at hand, and what I have is frozen and in the downstairs freezer. I think.
These days I grill the tortillas and scramble the eggs. This is by no means my hard and fast rule. Grilling certainly keeps a lot of fat out. When I first learned to make this, my Arkansas teacher (who worked her way through college as a frat-house cook in Austin) cooked the tortillas and the eggs in lard. I can certainly see the point - the eew! response only occurs when you tell this little cooking secret to the diners. Grilling is, on the whole, better for me. Scrambling the eggs in with the vegetables makes for a more even experience, though the texture and variety of flavor are different from frying or poaching the eggs.
A great salsa** makes all the difference.
INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs, beaten
4 corn tortillas
1/4C shredded cheese (Jack, Cheddar, Queso)
1 onion, sliced
cooking spray
options:
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 capsicum pepper, chopped (green, red, orange, yellow, hot)
cilantro
cumin
hot pepper flakes
chorizo*
frijoles*
chili*
1/8C half-and-half or cream beaten with the eggs.
salt and pepper to taste
garnish:
chopped scallions
salsa
guacamole* or sliced avocado
sour cream (no-fat is good)
METHOD:
Saute the onion and pepper in cooking spray and a little water
Add the pepper flakes, chopped tomato, cilantro, and cumin, if used
When they are soft, stir in the beaten eggs and the cheese
Grill the tortillas, 15-30 seconds per side
Put two tortillas on a plate, add the eggs and put salsa on top
Garnish as you wish
alternatives:
Saute the vegetables and top them with fried or poached eggs, cheese, salsa, etc.
Dry fry the tortillas in a cast-iron skillet, or use a little oil**
This recipe makes two portions, each with
calories and
carbs
NOTES:
In general, I define this dish as a Hispanic-slanted subset of the infamous Eggs Ackley, a term I coined in Pine Bluff Arkansas at the table of Laverne Hanners (1921-1998), may her memory be ever green: the woman who introduced me to Elmer McCurdy. The Ackley in question refers to 'exactly what you have in the refrigerator' - more is not possible.
One of these days I'll have to try huevos motuleños from town of Motul (Yucatán): eggs on tortillas with black beans and cheese, with additions such as ham, peas, plantains, and salsa. This dish can be found in Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Oaxaca as well as in Cuba and Costa Rica. It sounds like a worthwhile variant. Huevos divorciados on the other hand, aside from its 'port and starboard' look, seems a trifle foofy.
* Using these ingredients will increase the calorie count dramatically, so watch out, have a care and be careful.
** We have been using Frontera salsa ever since we had brunch at the Frontera Grill in Chicago, discovered they sell it retail, and that a selection is carried by some of the upscale outlets of My Local Grocer. Many varieties (the store never has the same selection twice in a row) and they are all good.
*** or a lot .. it's your cholesterol count
Web References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huevos_rancheros
http://www.fronterakitchens.com/
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