Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros is a Mexican dish that is basically eggs with a spicy red sauce. I used to eat these at a place in Las Vegas all the time. I would order it every chance I got, sometimes eating this dish 4 times in a weekend. When I order anywhere else, it's just not as good. This recipe was close and very tasty but it wasn't as good as the Vegas version. 

The ranchero sauce can be used in this dish but the recipe below makes a lot. I freeze the excess (it lasts for about 3 months). Thaw it by cooking it over low heat in a sauce pan and use for tacos, enchiladas, or as a sauce for a torta/sandwich. 

Ingredients:

Eggs (3 per plate)

Corn tortillas (2 per plate)

Optional Garnish:

Refried pinto beans

Sour cream

Avocado

Cooked bacon

Ranchero Sauce:

5 Roma tomatoes

1 small white onion, quartered

4 dried New Mexico or Guajillo chile peppers, stems and seeds removed

1 serrano pepper, stems removed

2 chipotlé in adobo

4 cloves garlic

3 cups chicken broth

1 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp of olive oil

3 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp. honey (if sauce ends up too spicy)

Directions:

Make the Ranchero Sauce: 

1. In a large pot, combine the tomatoes, dried peppers, fresh peppers, onion and garlic. Cover with water, bring a boil, reduce heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

2. Drain the tomato mixture and transfer all to the blender. Add the spices and 2 cups of chicken broth. Blend on high until smooth. 

3. Preheat the 4 tablespoons of canola oil to medium heat for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for another minute. Pour the sauce from the blender into the hot pan. Add the remaining chicken broth. Cook the sauce at a low simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, taste for salt and adjust seasonings.

2. Heat the refried beans in a small saute pan over low heat, stir occasionally. Heat tortillas in microwave. 

3. Set up your plate: put 1 warmed tortilla on a plate. Top with a medium layer of the beans. Put second  tortilla on top of beans. Warm ranchero sauce to keep warm while you fry your eggs. 

4. Fry your eggs over easy. I LOVE a runny yolk for this dish, it runs into the sauce and makes everything even more rich. I cook my eggs in a non stick skillet over medium heat. Put a dab of butter into the pan and melt. Crack eggs into pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until whites are just set, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes until egg whites are set but yolk is still runny. 

5. Put fried eggs on top of tortilla and bean stack. Smother in the ranchero sauce. To garnish I added some avocado slices and put some sour cream in a plastic bag, cut the corner, and used it as a pastry bag to make nice lines of sour cream. Top with cooked bacon and fresh herbs. Serve immediately!