Huevos Rancheros
- 1 1/2 cups dried black beans
- 3 large cloves garlic
- 1 dried chipotle chili
- Sea salt, to taste
- 5 tablespoons lard, goose or duck fat, or corn oil
- 6 large, ripe tomatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 2 serrano chilis
- 2 poblano chilis
- 1 large white onion
- 1 bunch cilantro, plus a bit for garnish
- Butter, for frying
- 8 large eggs
- Sour cream, for garnish
- Place the beans, two of the garlic cloves and the chipotle chili in a saucepan, cover with water in a saucepan and simmer until the beans are very soft.
- Drain, season with salt to taste, and discard the chili.
- (The beans may be prepared in advance and refrigerated, but should be allowed to return to room temperature prior to frying.)
- Melt three tablespoons of the lard over medium heat in a heavy bottomed frying pan.
- Mash the cooked beans with a potato masher or large spoon, to prevent spattering, and add to the pan.
- Fry until the beans have a firm but fairly smooth consistency; set aside and keep warm.
- Place the tomatoes in a heavy pan or on a griddle, either under the broiler or on top of the stove, and roast until the skin blisters and blackens.
- Do not peel.
- Over an open flame or under the broiler, roast the poblano and serrano chilis until their skin blisters and starts to blacken.
- Peel the poblanos and slice them into long, thin strips.
- (The smaller serranos need not be peeled.)
- Finely chop the onion and the remaining garlic, melt the remaining lard in a heavy-bottomed frying pan, and add the onions and garlic to it.
- Cook over medium to low heat until cooked through but not browned.
- Core the roasted tomatoes.
- In a food processor or mill, make a rough puree of the tomatoes, with their skins, and the roasted serrano chilis.
- Add the puree to the cooked onion and garlic.
- Firmly tie the bunch of fresh cilantro and add it.
- Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat, or until the sauce thickens a little.
- Season to taste with salt.
- Remove and discard the cilantro.
- Fry the eggs sunnyside up in a little butter.
- Spoon generous quantities of salsa ranchero onto plates and place two fried eggs on top of each serving.
- Criss-cross strips of roasted poblano chili on top of the eggs.
- Serve the beans on the side and garnish with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprig of cilantro.
black beans, garlic, chili, salt, lard, tomatoes, serrano chilis, poblano chilis, white onion, cilantro, butter, eggs, sour cream
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2811 (may not work)