Kim's Cooking and Gardening: Ranch-Style Eggs with Chorizo and Tomato-Red Chile Sauce

Another great recipe from Mesa Grill cookbook.

Bobby Flay says: This is our version of huevos rancheros. Make sure that your tortillas are crispy and your sauce is spicy, and you’ll have a breakfast that can’t be beat, even by the beloved traditional rendition.

I say: This is great! For breakfast, lunch or dinner! I actually thought the tomato chile sauce could be spicier, but the flavors blended so nicely in this meal. And it made A LOT! I made the Tomato Chile Sauce earlier in the day, then assembled everything at dinner time. It went together fast once I had all the ingredients ready.

Ranch-Style Eggs with Chorizo and Tomato-Red Chile Sauce
2 c. canola oil (I only used 1 c. and it worked fine. I fried them in the cast-iron pan I used to cook the rest of the meal. I just poured off the oil after I fried the tortillas, then cooked the chorizo)
4 tortillas (flour or corn)
Kosher salt
8 oz. chorizo sausage (I found some soy chorizo at the grocery store. And it was good! And didn’t swim in fat after it was cooked! And it was yummy! Nice and spicy.)
4 tbs. butter (I think you could get away with 2 tbs.)
12 large eggs, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
½ c. plus 4 tsp. sour cream or crème fraiche
Tomato-Red Chile Sauce (recipe follows)
¾ c. grated cheddar cheese (3 oz.)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Tomato-Red Chile Sauce
2 tbs. olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbs. ancho chile powder (I had dried anchos and used 2, coarsely chopped)
1 tbs. pasilla chile powder (ditto)
1 c. chicken broth
One 15 oz. can tomatoes and their juice (I used a quart of frozen tomatoes)
2 tbs. honey
Kosher salt

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and chile powders (or chopped dried chiles), and cook 1 minute.

Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half, 3-5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes

and the honey

and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until the sauce has thickened, 15-20 minutes.

I pureed it a bit with an immersion blender as it cooked.

Season with salt. This can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.

To assemble:

Heat the canola oil in a frying pan until it reaches 350 degrees. Fry the tortillas, one at a time, until just crispy, 20-30 seconds.

Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and season lightly with salt.

Pour off the oil (carefully!), return the pan to the heat, add the chorizo and cook until golden brown on all sides, 6-8 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels (I didn’t have any grease, so I just removed it to a bowl).

Remove any fat in the pan, add the butter and melt, reduce heat to medium-low. Add the eggs, cook slightly, add the chorizo, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly until soft curds form, 3-4 minutes.