thepassionatecook: Huevos divorciados

This, ladies and gentlemen, is one of my favourite breakfasts of all time. So called because they are surrounded by two different types of salsa like divorcees whose friends are taking the side of one or the other, huevos divorciados are a perfect start to the day.

I never made them very much, because the preparation of the salsas requires overnight pre-soaking of chiles that are hard to get in the first place, but over time, I have now come up with the necessary satisfactory short cuts to make this as easy a breakfast as any to put together. For the red salsa, I use chipotles out of a jar or tin (instead of the customary dried chile ancho and chile de arbol) as well as tinned tomatoes. And I use store-bought salsa verde as I can't buy tomatillos here in Asia... At least not without depositing one of my cute blond kids at a Chinese pawnshop until the next paycheque comes through!

After that, it's just a matter of spreading a good measure of frijoles on a wheat or corn tortilla, sprinkling it generously with grated cheese, then topping it with two eggs fried sunny-side up and the sauces spooned over. And on the subject of frijoles, I usually make my own, but you could easily use canned ones of a brand you trust.

So, doesn't that sound like a walk in the park? It is, trust me - and you will have a breakfast to impress your family or friends with in no time!

Huevos divorciados - divorced eggs
(serves 4)

4 wheat or corn tortillas
1 can of refried beans* (frijoles refritos - I prefer frijoles negros)
2 handfuls of grated cheese (I use gouda or gruyere, whichver I have at hand)
1 jar or can of salsa verde (supermarket, mexican/exotic food section)
1 knob butter
8 free-range eggs

For the salsa roja (red salsa)
1 tbsp butter
2 chipotle chiles (roughly chopped)
1 can (440 g) chopped tomatoes
1 large bunch or coriander (chopped)

To prepare the salsa roja, melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and cook until browning. Add the tomatoes and chopped chipotles. Heat and reduce slightly. Puree with a hand-held blender or in a food processor, then stir in a good handful of chopped coriander leaves.

Warm up the frijoles with a little bit of water, also heat the salsa verde.

When ready to serve, toast the tortillas over a gas flame or under the grill until starting to brown. Place on individual plates and spread with frijoles, sprinkle with cheese.

Now butter a non-stick frying pan (I like to use a crepe pan, because it heats more quickly), then crack in two eggs next to each other, gently nudging the yolks to sit in the middle of their whites and apart from the other yolk. When the whites have set, gently slide out onto the frijoles. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

Spoon the warm sauces around the eggs - one with salsa verde, the other with salsa roja.

Sprinkle with some chopped coriander and serve immediately.

* To make an easy version of refried beans, buy a can of black beans, drain them almost completely and puree with a hand-held blender or in a food processor. Fry a chopped onion in some butter, add the frijoles and cook until warmed through. I always add a generous tbsp of epazote, this is for the flavour as much as for its medicinal benefits, preventing flatulence.

Comments

Awesome! I don't think I've ever had them. Something new to try!

Posted by: Alan Winter | Oct 18, 2011 at 05:47 PM

It's looks really good, we are preparing something very similar, we are preparing tomato sauce with lots of garlic,onion and sweet red peppers, we also add one hot red pepper but that's usually to hot for the kids (and for myself)than when the sauce is tasty we add the eggs to the sauce pan and cover it for few minutes, we call it shkshuka and it's great!

Posted by: Rinat | Oct 20, 2011 at 11:36 AM