The first time I ever had this dish was the morning after attending a holiday party thrown by Cole’s work in a cute little town on the shores of Lake Superior. The town was so adorable, and clearly catered to tourists staying on the lake, so we decided to go to one of the local cafes to check out the brunch options instead of getting donuts and driving straight home. The cafe was obviously a favorite of many tourists such as ourselves since it was very busy, and was both a coffee shop and a cafe. Normally, at an establishment such as this, I would be all over the pancake and waffle options, but the night before I had had so many of the delicious desserts at the holiday party that I had no desire for anything sweet. Being a huge fan of avocado, this dish, Huevos Rancheros, stood out to me. I had never tried avocado on eggs before that, but I knew I needed to order it. And I absolutely loved it!
After going to Mexico this year, I have come to realize that the version of Huevos Rancheros that I had at the cafe was very Americanized in comparison to the authentic version I was served at our resort. The cafe dish was served over hash brown potatoes and slathered in queso, and the authentic version was served on top of a crisped tortilla shell and topped with enchilada sauce and goat cheese. There were elements of each that I preferred, so for my Huevos Rancheros recipe, I have combined bits and pieces of each version to create my own personal take on the dish.
*This recipe serves two people
Ingredients
3 tbsp Butter (Divided)
½ bag Shredded Hash Brown Frozen Potatoes (This should be about 15 oz)
Lime Juice Squeezed from ½ fresh lime.
1 tsp Dried Onion Flakes
¾ cup Black Beans
10 Grape Tomatoes
4 Fried Eggs
8 oz Mild Red Enchilada Sauce
3 oz Goat Cheese
1 Avocado
Fresh Cilantro – optional
Directions
1. Chop the grape tomatoes and lime into fourths. Measure out the black beans, and set all three ingredients next to the stove so that they are easily accessible.
2. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it is melted, add in the hashbrowns and spread them into an even layer. Cook for 6-7 minutes, then use a spatula to flip them.
3. Squeeze the juice from half the lime into the potatoes, sprinkle with the dried onion flakes, melt in the final tbsp of butter, and stir in the black beans and tomatoes. Let cook for another four minutes and remove from heat.
Kitchen Tip: I use black beans made from my Slow Cooker Jalapeno Black Beans recipe. I always have some of these premade and frozen so that I can thaw them out whenever I want to use them in recipes such as this. If you are using black beans from a can instead you may want to sprinkle a little cumin and chili powder into your hashbrowns for some extra flavor.
4. Fry four eggs. This dish is supposed to use over easy eggs so that the yolks can be broken open at the end to provide a sauce, but the eggs can be made to a different preference instead. For tips on making a perfect over easy egg, follow this link.
Kitchen Tip: I’ve found it’s easiest to fry only two eggs at a time unless you own an extra large skillet. I switch to a new skillet when starting the second round of eggs so that it’s not too hot when doing the second round, but if you don’t own enough skillets to switch them out, use paper towels to wipe out the grease from the first round (be careful not to burn yourself!), let the skillet cool a little bit, then start the next round.
5. After the eggs are done cooking, slice the avocado in half, remove the pit, and dice up the insides. Then it’s time to combine all the elements together!
6. Split the hash brown mixture in half spreading it out across the bottom of two plates, next place two fried eggs on top of each plate. Pour two ounces of enchilada sauce on top of each egg. Split the diced avocado up between the two plates, and top with crumbled goat cheese.
7. This last step is optional because I know some people absolutely loathe cilantro, but I’ve found that some fresh cilantro sprinkled over the top of the dish adds a little something to the flavor palette.
When eating this meal, it’s best to break the yolks of both eggs first before digging in. This allows the runny yolk to run into the hashbrowns creating a delicious sauce to mix into everything. This recipe is a little more complex, so I definitely suggest making sure you master the technique of making the perfect over easy fried egg before trying it; otherwise you may find yourself a little flustered. Also, be warned ahead of time, this dish is so, so, so filling. You will not be hungry for a very long time after eating it. Because of this factor, I usually end up making this as a meal for dinner instead of breakfast. However, if you make it for brunch or breakfast, recognize that you might only want a light dinner that day.
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