My Huevos Rancheros

Method 

Pre-heat oven to 180^oC and grease/oil a dish to bake and serve the final dish in.

First get the prep done – by finely chopping the onion and roughly chopping the tomatoes. Chop up the coriander stems finely and pick or  roughly chop the coriander leaves. 

In a medium saucepan warm the olive oil over a low heat and then add the onions, and grated/crushed garlic cloves. Cook slowly until they are soft and translucent.

Add the oregano, cumin, chopped coriander stalks and chilli flakes along with the lime juice and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the tomato puree and cook  for a further couple of minutes.

Add the tomatoes, reserving approx one tomato for later, and the water. Turn up the heat to medium and cook until the tomatoes break down, helping them along with the back of a spoon, should be about 10-15 mins. You are looking for a thick sauce at this point, so if need to any more water do so. 

When done, take off the heat and add the remaining tomatoes, along with half the coriander and stir to distribute through the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Then transfer to the dish. 

Make two wells in the sauce, one at each side of the dish (I find one at time is only way to do it!) and crack the eggs in to the spaces. Then place the dish in the pre-heated oven and bake for approx 10 to 15 minutes until the whites are cooked through , and the yolks are nicely runny. 

Sprinkle the remaining coriander over the dish, and if want drizzle some olive oil, both to your taste and serve with some warm fresh bread for dipping (the part baked ones are great for this and easy if this is a hangover dish !) and whatever accompaniments you fancy!

Enjoy!

Ingredients – 1 large portion, 2 sharing

·            6 Large Tomatoes (or approx 350g)  

·            ½ Large Onion

·            2 cloves of garlic

·            1 teaspoon dried oregano

·            1 teaspoon of lime juice

·            2 teaspoon of cumin powder

·            1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

·            2 teaspoons tomato puree

·            ½ cup/120ml water

·            2 eggs

·            Olive oil

·            Small bunch of coriander

·            Salt & Pepper for seasoning

This is one of my partners favourite weekend breakfasts and something that is a great “getting over a hangover” style brekkie, and a great alternative to the traditional British fry up.

There are many recipes out there for this Mexican classic “Ranchers Eggs” that was traditionally a breakfast/brunch style dish that has become more and more popular over recent years. Having tried a few and decided what I liked and didn’t, this is my version that I make whenever that wake up kick is needed in a morning!

Personally I prefer to use dried chilli flakes for the heat in this dish, as it more regulated than using fresh chillies and the  cooking of the sauce brings them out well. Feel free to use fresh as an alternative if you prefer I have used both. Likewise many other recipes call for peppers in this dish, though I prefer the sauce without. Likewise you could poach the eggs in the sauce in the pan and remove the cooking in the oven, but I prefer the texture and taste of the baked dish.

You can add whatever accompaniments you want with this, especially if you are having this as a brunch dish. Guacamole , salsa, black or refried beans, sour cream all go well with this, as do the traditional corn tortillas, however I prefer a hunk of warm bread along with it to mop up the juices!