Decisions, Decisions

I couldn't decide what egg to dish serve up on Sunday. I simply have to serve traditional eggs and bacon but I refuse to do it in the traditional form. I started out with 3 choices: Huevos Rancheros; Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and "New" Eggs Benedict. The scrambled eggs just didn't seem very festive, but it would be easy to serve to a crowd. Then the new eggs benedict would be such a treat, but certainly not easy to serve to a crowd. Especially with the amount of time I'd have to put in practicing my poaching. That left the Breakfast Mexicana option. I took my day off to brush on my egg frying skills and presto! A nice compromise of festive and crowd friendly. 

This particular recipe for Huevos Rancheros is from the Stonewall Kitchen Cookbook. Aside from having pages upon pages of perfect recipes (including "favorite variations"), the authors seem to have hired themselves a most talented food photographer. 

Poppers insisted I fry the eggs in a spot of bacon fat with butter. Which shouldn't be too hard since I'll be serving maple-roasted bacon along side the eggs. He says to take the turkey baster and transfer it from the oven to the skillet. Now I'm hungry. Feast on these for now:

Huevos Rancheros

Stonewall Kitchen Cookbook (Jonathan King, Jim Scott, Kathy Gunst)

Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil (or bacon grease and butter)

1 small red onion, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves (which I will omit)

Dash of hot pepper sauce

4 6-inch corn tortillas

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup Chunky Guacamole, or store bought (stay tuned for recipe)

Mango Salsa, Fresh tomato salsa, or 2 cups store bought (again, stay tuned)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When hot add the red and yellow onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and cumin, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 tablespoon of cilantro (if using) and a dash or two of hot sauce, season again with salt and pepper to taste and set aside. Note: the beans can be made a day ahead of time; cover and refrigerate. Place over low heat to rewarm. If they seem dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water.)

Wrap the corn tortillas in a clean, damp kitchen towel. Place in the oven and heat the tortillas for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil (or other grease) in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, crack 2 eggs (or more if they fit without overlapping) into the pan and fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until the egg whites solidify, depending on how soft you like your eggs. Transfer to a warm plate and repeat with the remaining eggs and grease or oil.

Place 1 warm tortilla on each of four plates. Divide the beans among the 4 tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese over the beans and top with a fried egg. Garnish with sour cream, guacamole, and the remaining cilantro (if using). Surround the tortillas with a small dollop of each of the salsas. Serve hot pepper sauce on the side.

Maple-Roasted Bacon

Barefoot Contessa at Home (Ina Garten)

Serves 4 to 8

3/4 pound thick-cut smoked bacon (16 slices)

1 to 2 tablespoons good maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in one layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon begins to brown. Remove the pan carefully from the oven -there will be hot grease in the pan! Brush the bacon slices with maple syrup and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the bacon is a warm golden brown. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and serve warm.