INGREDIENTS
- 1 can (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted, undrained
- 2 to 3 canned chipotle chiles
- A tablespoon or so of the chipotles’ canning sauce
- About 4 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil or bacon drippings (divided use)
- 1/2 medium white or red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 or 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 cup chicken, pork, beef or vegetable broth or water
- About 4 ounces (1/2 cup) fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
- 1/2 black-ripe plantain, peeled and cut into pieces a little smaller than ½ inch
- 4 eggs
- Salt
- 4 corn tortillas
- About 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles (or use queso fresco or fromage blanc)
- Cilantro leaves for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, chipotles and canning liquid and blend until smooth. Set a large (10-inch) skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat and film the bottom heavily with oil or drippings (about 2 tablespoons). Add onion and cook, stirring regularly until lightly browned, 4 or 5 minutes, then add the garlic and stir continually for about 45 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomato mixture, raise the heat to medium-high and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has reduced nearly to the consistency of tomato paste, 7 or 8 minutes. Stir in the broth or water, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer until you’re ready to serve.
In a small skillet, cook the chorizo over medium heat, stirring to break up any lumps, until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. It should render enough fat to brown the pieces nicely; if it looks dry, add a little vegetable oil or bacon drippings. Add the plantain pieces, stirring and turning them with the chorizo until they are golden and the chorizo is completely cooked (about 4 more minutes). Set aside in a warm place.
In a large (10-inch) non-stick skillet set over medium, heat the remaining couple of tablespoons of oil or drippings. Crack the eggs into the pan, reduce the heat a little and let them coast to a beautiful sunny-side up doneness. It’ll take about 4 or 5 minutes for the white to be set, but the yolk will still vibrant and unctuous. Sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper as they cook
As the eggs cook, wet a square of paper towel with water, wring it out, fold it in half and wrap it around the tortillas. Slide them into a plastic bag (don’t seal) and microwave for 45 seconds to steam-heat them. Leave them in the bag until the second you’re ready to assemble the huevos rancheros.
Taste and season the sauce with salt, usually a scant teaspoon. If the sauce has thickened considerably, stir in more broth or water. It should be a little thinner than canned tomato sauce.
Lay two tortillas on each plate, slightly overlapping. Slide an egg on top of each one. Spoon sauce over the egg and tortilla, leaving the yolk exposed. Sprinkle with chorizo and plantain, crumbled goat cheese and cilantro leaves. Serve without hesitation.
