Gourmet Huevos Rancheros

Eggs paired with zesty salsa and warm corn tortillas create a hearty breakfast, brunch or dinner entrée. Refried beans, avocado, cilantro, green onion and sour cream make up the CIA's interpretation of this dish. To complement the heat of this spicy combination, serve with a side of chilled sliced fruit. The following recipe suggests fried eggs, although you can prepare them scrambled or poached. The rich and creamy texture of the avocado supplies a flawless garnish. This recipe is from The Culinary Institute of America's Cooking at Home with the CIA.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (6 inch)  corn tortillas
• 1  cup  canned  refried beans
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter or 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 8  large eggs
•  salt and black pepper, freshly ground
• 1⁄2 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
• 1  avocado
• 2  teaspoons lime juice, fresh
• 1⁄2 cup  prepared salsa
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
• 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1  green onion, white and green parts (thinly sliced on the bias)

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Heat the tortillas by toasting them one at a time in a dry cast-iron skillet or directly over a gas flame until lightly toasted; Place on a baking sheet, spread each tortilla with ¼ cup of refried beans, and cover to keep warm.
3. Working in batches as needed, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot but not smoking and the foaming has subsided; Crack the eggs directly into the hot butter and reduce the heat to medium-low or low; Fry the eggs, shaking the pan occasionally to keep the eggs from sticking; Season the eggs with salt and pepper; Fry to the desired doneness, about 2 minutes for "sunny-side up," 3 minutes for medium yolks, and 4 minutes for hard yolks; Or, once the whites are just opaque, turn the eggs and cook for 30 seconds more for "over easy," 1 minute more for "over medium," or 2 minutes more for "over hard.".
4. Top each tortilla with 2 fried eggs and 2 tablespoons of the grated cheese; Slide the tortillas under the broiler to melt the cheese.
5. Meanwhile, dice the avocado and toss with the lime juice to prevent the avocado from discoloring.
6. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons salsa and 2 tablespoons sour cream; Divide the avocado among the tortillas; Garnish each tortilla with 1 tablespoon cilantro and 1 tablespoon green onion and serve.