A Recipe for Huevos Rancheros

Have you ever heard people say that you should not discuss religion or politics at a party? Well, better add Mexican food to that list! I mentioned in a forum that San Antonio had pretty good Mexican food, and you would of thought I said that the Pope wasn't Catholic. Boy, did I get an earful!

With that in mind, I am going to publish this recipe for easy huevos rancheros. Remember that I am not saying this is the definitive way to make the dish, or the best way, this is just how I make the dish. I have always thought of recipes as a guide to making something, and the person who is making the dish adds or takes away from the recipe to make a creation of their own. In the recipe that follows, I use corn tortillas as a base for the eggs. I was introduced to this way of making huevos rancheros in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I thought the corn tortillas  added another layer of flavor and texture to the plate. This recipe will make enough for about six plates:

1 can of Mexican style stewed tomatoes

1 small onion (chopped fine or course, depending on your taste)

1 clove of garlic (or a teaspoon of pre-chopped garlic from a jar)

1/4 cup salsa (mild, medium, or hot, depending on your taste)

Salt and Pepper

eggs

corn tortillas

Butter

oil for frying

In a small saucepan, melt one tablespoon of the butter. Add the chopped onion and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, stewed tomatoes, and salsa. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the mixture while preparing the other elements of the dish, long enough so that some of the liquid is reduced.

In a small shallow frying pan heat oil. Tear a small piece of tortilla and drop in the oil. If the oil is hot enough, the piece of tortilla will float to the top and the oil will bubble. When the oil is hot enough, drop tortillas one at a time into the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, flip the tortilla, and cook another 30 seconds. The tortilla should not be crispy. Place the tortillas on a plate with a paper towel; keep them warm in the oven set at a very low temperature.

In another pan, melt enough butter to cook the number of eggs you will be serving. I like huevos rancheros with over-easy eggs; some people prefer scrambled. Cook the eggs to your preference.

For each serving, lay two corn tortillas on a plate. Top the tortillas with the eggs, and ladle on a generous amount of the tomato mixture. 

The plate wouldn't be complete without a serving of refried beans and fried potatoes, and of course, flour tortillas.