huevos rancheros!

huevos rancheros. or, ranch-style eggs. this is a super simple and mucho delicioso breakfast, brunch or lunch. eggs poached on a tasty tomato sauce served on top of, or, with corn tortillas. i am happy i came up with another use for the Sparkling River smoked peppers that were in my basket-a-month a year ago from CAFM. the dish only takes 45 from prep to plate. you can use any dried chile; smoky; hot or a combo of both. don’t rush the onions in step one and you’re good. do it up one better and add some avocado slices. try it, you’ll love it! here’s how;

you’ll need: 
2 dried chiles, about 4-6 inches long, snipped into tiny pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced finely
4 garlic cloves, put thru a garlic press
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon salt, + more for sprinkling
1 (28 oz can) or 2 (14.5 oz cans) whole tomatoes, snipped in can with kitchen shears
corn tortillas - as many as you want to eat
6-8 eggs
cheese - optional, you pick your fav
cilantro or parsley, finely chopped

you’ll do:

take the dried chile and with kitchen shears, cut up the side. de seed and de stem. do this over your compost bowl. cut the chile into strips, leaving the top intact. then, cut crosswise to cut the chile into super small pieces. do this to both chiles.

heat olive oil over med-high heat in a large, heavy-bottom, shallow pan or skillet that has a lid. when the oil shimmers, add the onion. sprinkle salt over the onion to pull out the moisture. stir and sauté until the onion is translucent and tender. do not rush this step, do not allow the onion to brown. while you are waiting for the onion to become tender. measure & compile, in a small bowl, the dried chile slivers, pressed garlic, cumin, coriander and ¼ teaspoon of salt. also, open the canned tomatoes, using kitchen shears, snip the tomatoes into bite size pieces by submerging the scissor blades into the can and cutting. when the onions are tender, add spice mixture and cook for 1 minute. do not allow garlic to burn, then add tomatoes. bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover with lid and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. warm the corn tortillas on a griddle, in a cast iron skillet or in the oven before the sauce finishes. 6 minutes before you would like to eat, crack eggs directly into the sauce. cover with lid and let cook until whites are set, about 6 minutes. using a large pancake flipper/spatula, lift out sauce and eggs and plate. top with a sprinkling, not a handful, a sprinkling, of cheese and some finely chopped parsley or cilantro. eat, using the tortillas as a spoon! Buen provecho!

how to heat a corn tortilla:

heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium heat and warm the tortillas, one at a time, for 45 seconds, flipping once. wrap in a tea towel to keep warm.

or

preheat the oven to 325℉. wrap a stack of tortillas in parchment lined aluminum foil and place in oven for 20 minutes. wrap in a tea towel to keep warm.