Huevos Rancheros in Tortilla Cups

Have I ever mentioned how much I like Bon Appetit magazine? I bought an issue last fall, fell in love, and immediately subscribed. I always thought that Bon Appetit was for chefs or people with a lot of money to spend on exotic ingredients (um… pomegranate molasses, anyone?). While some of the recipes aren’t exactly family-friendly, I’ve found many that are very approachable, even for a beginner. So many, that I’ve got quite a queue lined up in my OneNote file. The magazine also has great articles about health-related topics as well as spotlights about certain foods. (Last month was kale. I always wondered what to do with that. Now I know.) Oh, and the photography is excellent.

So I made these last night. If you don’t know, huevos rancheros, or “ranch-style eggs” is a Mexican dish that consists of fried eggs in chile sauce and served with tortillas. The three of us that eat solid food in our home really liked these little tortilla cups. And I’m sure that Ivy liked the “processed” version she drank this morning. These little cups are easy to make and can be eaten any time of the day (I want to try them for breakfast sometime. Mm.) — we had them as a light dinner last night. They’re also vegetarian, if you’re trying to cut back on meat, as well as low in calories and high in fiber and protein.

And they’re tasty, which is the most important thing, right?

Huevos Rancheros in Tortilla Cups
From Bon Appetit Nov 2008

4 T olive oil, divided
6 6 inch corn tortillas
1 15-oz can pinto or black beans, drained
2/3 c chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 tsp cumin
6 eggs
3/4 c grated cheese
1 c purchased (or homemade) pico de gallo
2-3 shakes of bottled hot sauce (recommended: chipotle)
Sour cream (optional, but a natural garnish, right?)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush six 10-oz oven-safe custard cups (I used little Pyrex bowls) with 1 T oil. Stack tortillas and microwave them for about 25 seconds or until their warm and pliable. Gently press one tortilla into each cup, then brush them with 2 T oil.

In a small bowl, combine beans, 1 T oil, 1/3 c cilantro, and cumin. Smash coarsely with a fork. Divide bean mixture among the tortilla cups. Crack an egg into each cup and sprinkle with cheese, covering egg completely. Bake uncovered until whites are set, and yolks are firm to touch, about 15-20 minutes (yolks should be soft inside).

Meanwhile, mix pico de gallo, 1/3 c cilantro, and hot sauce in a small bowl. When tortilla cups finish baking, lift them gently out of the custard cups and onto a plate. Top with pico de gallo and sour cream. Serve immediately. Makes six servings.

Nat’s Notes:
1. I sprinkled a pinch of salt in the beans, as well as on the eggs after I cracked them into the cups. I still found it needed another pinch when I was eating it.
2. I cooked mine too long, so the yolks weren’t soft. I am miserable at making runny-yolk eggs. Even in the oven, I guess. (That’s OK, because I don’t like them anyway. I beat my egg before I put it into the cup. Ha.)

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Breakfast, Gluten-Free, Mexican/Southwest, Vegetarian

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