Huevos Rancheros

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This holiday is a personal favorite of mine, mainly due to my never-dying love for Mexican food and flavors. There’s something magical about how such simple ingredients always taste so good together. Messy and heavy, spicy and crunchy, it’s a comfort food that can’t be beaten. And let’s be honest - guacamole is probably the best food combo ever created. Did I mention I’ve been pining over avocado temporary tattoos?  

 

 

Talk about a great example of food bringing people together, too.  Fiesta time!  The weather tends to be very pleasant this time of year, which presents the perfect reason to gather a group of friends for a Mexican dish potluck and some tasty margaritas y cervezas (guess what I’m doing today).  It’s nothing but a day of fun, filled with random sombrero sightings, fake mustaches (when did this become a trend, by the way?), and if you’re lucky a piñata to get some of that work-week stress out of your system. 

 

As I talked to my friend who is off to Cancun this morning, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.  But, for those of us who do not get to enjoy the real thing today, these are some of my picks that fulfill the cravings just fine.

 

Atlanta area:
Bone Garden Cantina
Taqueria el Ray del Taco, Buford Highway

Seattle area:
Taco Truck, Everett

NYC area:
Chavela’s, Brooklyn
Mole, Upper East Side (amazing guacamole)

 

HUEVOS RANCHEROS
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's recipe)
Makes: 1-2 servings

Ingredients:
cooking spray
2 corn tortillas
1.5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
2 eggs
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 can black beans
ground cumin, to taste
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
extra toppings (see below)

Toppings:
cheddar cheese, shredded
fresh salsa, or taco sauce
avocado
sour cream
cilantro

Variations:
Gluten free - Most corn tortillas are GF, but double-check the brand you are buying
Other toppings - Jalepeno, corn, queso blanco cheese (or feta)

Instructions:

1. Heat up skillet (I used 2 skillets, one for each egg) on MED.  Once heated, spray skillet(s) with a cooking spray or oil spray.  Add tortillas and heat until underside begins to brown.  Flip tortillas, sprinkle shredded cheese onto slightly browned side.
2. Let cheese melt slightly, then crack one egg over each tortilla.  Season each egg with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, heat black beans in a small saucepan on LO.  Sprinkle cumin and cayenne pepper over beans and stir.
4. When egg on the tortilla begins to turn white, use a spatula to flip the whole thing over.  Cook for an additional few minutes (1-2 minutes if you like your egg a little runny).
5. When eggs are cooked, flip over again onto a plate and put your favorite Mexican toppings on top.