New Mexico “Christmas-Style” Huevos Rancheros

Description:

Huevos rancheros, meaning ranch-style eggs, is a popular Southwest dish that has its origins in rural Mexico. Traditionally, this dish was a second meal for farmers who worked during the early hours of the morning. The preparation of the dish pictured above is unique to the New Mexico, featuring a green and red sauce made from local chilis. Hence, this preparation is referred to as “Christmas-style) due to the green and red color combination. The use of blue corn tortillas is relatively common in New Mexico, which is why they are included in this recipe, but white corn tortillas work just as well and are very authentic.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vegetable oil (5 ml)

• Canned pinto beans

• 2 white or blue corn tortillas

• Shredded lettuce

• Diced tomato

• Shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese

Green Chile Sauce

• 3 hatch or anaheim chiles

• 1/4 medium onion, diced fine

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tsp vegetable oil (5 ml)

• 1 tsp flour (6 g)

• 1 cup chicken stock (240 ml)

• Salt & pepper

Red Chile Sauce

• 5-6 dried New Mexico chiles

• 1/4 medium onion, diced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tsp vegetable oil (5 ml)

• 1 tsp flour (6 g)

• 1 cup chicken stock (240 ml)

• 1/4 tsp dried oregano (1.5 g)

• Salt & pepper

Home fries

• 1 potato, peeled and cut into cubes

• 1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml)

• Salt

Preparation:

To make the green sauce, roast the peppers under a broiler for 3-4 minutes on each side, until the skin is charred. Place in a container and cover for 15 minutes. Then, peel the skin off of the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Chop the pepper into small pieces. In a small pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion & garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft, then stir in the flour. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the chicken stock and the peppers. Turn the heat to high and bring to a simmer, then turn heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

To make the red chili sauce, remove the stems and seeds from the dried peppers. Toast in a pan over high heat for about 30 seconds, then remove. In a small pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion & garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft, then stir in the flour. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the chicken stock, oregano & peppers. Turn the heat to high and bring to a simmer, then turn heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for 1 minute. Strain the mixture through a sieve, then season to taste with salt & pepper.

To make the home fries, add the potatoes to a cold pot of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 7-8 minutes, then drain and allow to cool. Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat and add the potatoes, stirring occasionally. Fry for 5-6 minutes until they are golden brown. Drain and season generously with salt.

Toast the tortillas in a dry pan for 30 seconds. In a pan, add the oil and fry eggs on both sides over medium heat. Warm up the beans. To assemble, place the fried eggs on top of each tortillas. Smother one tortilla with the green sauce and the other with the red. Top with the shredded cheese. Serve the beans, home fries, lettuce and tomato on the side.

Notes:

• If you can’t find green Hatch chilis, Anaheims are a great substitute and poblanos can also work in a pinch.