Main Course – May

Pure Egg-stacy

By Chef Arturo Vargas

Courtesy of London Chow

 

There’s nothing like starting off your day with a wonderful meal.  One of my favorite memories from my childhood in Mexico is waking up to the aromas of the flavorful foods that my mother and grandmother were whipping up in the kitchen.

“Huevos Rancheros” is traditional Mexican fare comprised of eggs, beans, salsa and warm tortillas.  Its spicy blend of garlic, onions and tomatoes makes for an irresistible scent that will make your mouth water. You’ll also appreciate the colorful mosaic of yellow, red and green this dish will add to your breakfast table.  It’s the ultimate comfort food; and even though we usually associate eggs with breakfast, this hearty feast can be enjoyed at any time throughout the day!

Dive in and treat your loved ones to a tasty meal with Mexican flair!

Eat well and enjoy,

Chef Arturo Vargas

HUEVOS RANCHEROS

INGREDIENTS

4 fresh eggs

2 Garlic cloves, (minced)

1/2 small red onion, (chopped)

6 Roma tomatoes, (chopped)

1 chile (diced)

2 Chile Chipotle in adobo sauce,

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin

4 large corn tortillas

1 1/2 cup of refried beans

1/4 cup of Olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

1 Whole avocado (chopped)

1/4 cup of queso cotija (dry Mexican Cheese)

2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

TO MAKE THE SAUCE (SALSA)

In a hot medium skillet, cook the chopped onions together with the minced garlic in the olive oil. Once the onions have turned golden, add the chopped tomatoes.  Mix in the chopped chiles, the chipotle adobo sauce and the cumin. Reduce heat and stir occasionally until the sauce is nice and thick (about 5 minutes.) Set aside.

TO PREPARE THE TORTILLAS

Heat oven to 350 F and set aside a cookie sheet or some other oven-safe pan. Coat a nonstick hot skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the tortillas in the hot skillet for a least one two minutes on each side – until they are nice and brown. Remove the tortillas and stack them on the sheet and place inside the oven to keep them warm. Heat the refried beans in the same nonstick skillet over medium heat.

FINAL STEPS

Add two teaspoons of olive oil to a different nonstick hot skillet. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet and cook for 4 minutes until the yolk are nice and firm. Remove a hot crispy tortilla from the oven and place on a serving plate. Layer the refried beans on top of the tortilla first – then place one egg on each tortilla.

Spoon the sauce on top, and then sprinkle the queso cotija (dry Mexican cotija cheese) and the cilantro as your final touch!
Chef’s Note:  You can serve either one or two eggs/tortillas per plate, depending on how much you want to eat. I’m a 2-egg 2 tortilla person myself.

Yield: Makes 2-4 servings.

[learn_more caption=”About The Chef” state=”open”]  A native of Acapulco, Mexico, Chef Arturo Vargas is a respected health educator and owner of Northern California’s Taste for the Senses Catering.  Arturo was formally trained in the culinary arts in Mexico.  Prior to opening his catering company, he served as chef in some of San Francisco, California’s finest restaurants, and facilitated healthy cooking classes and workshops for organizations such as the University of California, Davis, the American Heart Association, and Whole Foods Market.  His culinary expertise has been featured in several publications, including Sacramento Magazine, Luxe Life magazine and on SimplyRecipies.com.[/learn_more]

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