Rhea's Rundown
I absolutely love this version of Huevos rancheros. It has all the elements that tug on my foodie heartstrings as a home-cooked, nourishing comfort food. I am a huge fan of every ingredient in this recipe: the avocado, the salty cotija cheese, the refried beans, the fried egg, and oh yes—the cilantro, lots and lots of it. These are some of my favorite type of ingredients in general, and put all together it’s sensational. Best of all, a super simple recipe for tomato sauce is provided. There’s just something about a sauce made from scratch that’s so gratifying in more ways than one. The tomato sauce will require just a bit more knife work, but it’s not complicated or even that much more time-consuming. If you’re not in the mood or don’t have the time, use your favorite salsa instead. You can also make the tomato sauce ahead of time, leaving just the egg and assembly for the day of. I splurged with the use of full-on sour cream (gasp!) instead of the Greek yogurt, it’s just too yummy to forgo. I also use refried pinto beans instead of black beans, but any type of refried bean will work fine. I used every last bit of the leftovers from this for days afterwards, and I hope you enjoy it just as much!
Ingredients – Serves 4
- 4 whole-wheat tortillas
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 4 large eggs
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 ½ cups roasted tomato sauce (see below)
- 1 cup fat-free canned refried black beans, warmed
- 1 small ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta or cotija cheese
- 2/3 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven to warm.
2. In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Carefully eak the eggs into the pan and fry slowly until the whites are set and the yolks have begun to thicken but are not hard, about 2 minutes. Cover the frying pan if you like firm yolks. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. To assemble, remove the tortillas from the oven. Using tongs, dip each tortilla quickly in the warmed tomato sauce and place on warmed individual plates. Spread ¼ cup of the refried beans evenly on the tortilla and top each with a fried egg. Spoon more of the tomato sauce generously over the eggs and tortilla. Top with the avocado, cheese, yogurt, and cilantro.
Roasted Tomato Sauce
Ingredients – Makes about 1 ½ cups
- 7 ripe plum tomatoes, cored
- 2-3 serrano chilies, seeded and minced
- ½ small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- Sea salt
Directions
1. In a dry frying pan over high heat, roast the tomatoes, turning them as they char slightly, about 5 minutes.
2. In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, chiles, onion, and garlic. Process until blended but still chunky.
3. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the tomato mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Adapted from: Jacobi, Dana. “Huevos Rancheros.” Good for You: Easy, Healthy Recipes for Every Day.” Weldon Owen, Inc. and Williams-Sonoma, Inc. California: San Francisco, 2013: Print
Rhea Torreon
