Huevos Rancheros

Ingredients

Aromatics & Vegetables

• 1 onion (large, peeled and finely sliced)
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled and finely sliced)
• 2 red peppers (deseeded and finely sliced)
• 2 fresh red chillies (or orange chillies, finely sliced)
• 1 dried chilli (large)
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 2 ripe tomatoes (large, sliced)

Sauce Base

• 800g tins quality plum tomatoes
• Several good lugs of olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Eggs & Tortillas

• 6 eggs (large)
• 6 flour tortillas
• Cheddar cheese (for grating, optional)

Method

Stage 1 - Prepare Ingredients

1. Peel and finely slice the onions and garlic.
2. Deseed and finely slice the red peppers and fresh chillies.
3. Have all ingredients ready and within arm's reach (this dish moves quickly once you start cooking).

Stage 2 - Build the Tomato Base

1. Place a large frying pan (with a lid) on medium-high heat and add several good lugs of olive oil.
2. Add the sliced onion, garlic, red peppers, fresh chillies, dried chilli, and bay leaves.
3. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
4. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and caramelised.
5. The mixture should darken and intensify in flavour.

Stage 3 - Add Tomatoes & Reduce

1. Pour in the tinned plum tomatoes.
2. Using the back of a spoon or a potato masher, break up the tomatoes as they fall into the pan.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat.
4. Cook for a further 5 minutes to reduce the sauce.
5. You should have a nice thick tomato stew consistency.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Stage 4 - Prepare for Poaching

1. Lay the sliced fresh tomatoes over the top of the tomato mixture.
2. Using the back of a spoon, create small wells in the tomato stew (you need 6 wells for the 6 eggs).

Stage 5 - Warm Tortillas

1. While preparing to poach the eggs, warm the tortillas.
2. You can pop them into an oven at 180°C for a few minutes, microwave for a few seconds, or lay them over the lid of the pan so they heat as the eggs cook.

Stage 6 - Poach the Eggs

1. Crack the 6 eggs into the wells you created in the tomato stew.
2. Crack them in as quickly as you can so they all cook for roughly the same amount of time.
3. Season the eggs from a height with sea salt and black pepper.
4. Place the lid on the pan and reduce heat to medium-low.
5. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking (runny yolks are traditional).

Stage 7 - Finish & Serve

1. Remove the lid and check the eggs by gently poking them with your finger.
2. Once cooked to your liking, turn off the heat.
3. Take the pan to the table with the warmed tortillas, grated Cheddar cheese, and a grater.
4. Each diner can assemble their own: grate cheese onto a warm tortilla, spoon an egg and tomato stew on top, wrap up, and eat.