Huevos Rancheros

Serve with a side of chorizo or bacon and a side of refried pinto beans.

• Ready In: 1 hr 8 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Ranchero Sauce

• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped roasted mild green chili pepper (preferably New Mexican or poblano)
• 2  cups  canned crushed tomatoes
• 1  tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 -2  teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1⁄3 cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1  tablespoon fresh lime juice

• Other Ingredients

•  vegetable oil (for panfrying)
• 8  corn tortillas
• 8  large eggs
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter
•  salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 cup  grated monterey jack cheese or 1⁄2 cup mild cheddar cheese or 1⁄2 cup asadero cheese
•  Mexican crema or  sour cream
•  fresh cilantro stem

Directions

1. To make the sauce: warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat; stir in the onion and garlic; cook 2-3 minutes or until limp.
2. Mix in the chile, tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, cumin, and salt; bring to a boil.
3. Decrease heat to a simmer; cover and cook 15 minutes or until thickened but still spoonable.
4. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice shortly before removing from the heat; set aside.
5. Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a large skillet; dip the tortillas into the oil, 1 or 2 at a time, and cook for a few seconds, until soft and pliable.
6. Drain the tortillas and arrange 2 overlapping on each of 4 plates.
7. Break the eggs, 2 by 2, into cups or small bowls.
8. Pour out of the skillet all but enough oil to generously coat the surface.
9. Warm the skillet again over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
10. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of the butter, and when the foam subsides, in a about 1 minute, pour in the eggs and begin to fry them, 2 to 4 at a time, depending on the size of your skillet.
11. Cook for 1 minute, seasoning generously with salt and pepper while the eggs cook.
12. As they cook, use a spatula to scoop up some of the butter to drizzle over the whites.
13. Then turn the heat down to low and continue cooking and drizzling with butter for about 1 minute or until done to your liking.
14. Repeat with remaining eggs, adding more butter to the skillet as necessary.
15. Top each tortilla with a fried egg; sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of the cheese over each serving of eggs and top with equal portions of the sauce.
16. Serve the eggs immediately, with crema and cilantro.