Huevos Rancheros with Avocado Salsa

, from Issue #42. August, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuthn.
Huevos Rancheros with Avocado Salsa

This great vegetarian meal is packed with flavour – the kidney bean stew can be made 2-3 days ahead then re-warmed before assembling.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 x 400 gram tin cooked red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 400 gram tin crushed Italian tomatoes
½ cup vegetable stock
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Salsa
1 avocado, peeled and diced
½ cup diced tomatoes, (I used red and yellow tomatoes)
zest and juice 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped coriander

To assemble
3 cups tortilla chips (plain)
8 eggs
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
sour cream

4 shallow ovenproof baking dishes or small saute pans

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan and cook the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt until soft. Add the spices, tomato paste and oregano and cook for 1 minute then stir in the beans, tomatoes and stock. Season and bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes.

To assemble: Divide the sauce between the dishes and arrange the tortilla chips around the sides. Make two indentations in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Season the eggs then scatter over the cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still a little runny.

Salsa: Combine the ingredients in a bowl and season.

To serve: Place the dishes on plates and serve with the salsa and sour cream. 

Pantry note: Use plain tortilla chips as flavoured varieties will burn quickly when placed in the oven.