June 05, 2017
from Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchen by Gonzalo Guzmán
This is one of our favorite breakfasts. It's a great blend of flavors and textures: the spicy sauce, the creaminess of the scrambled eggs, the crunchiness of the tortillas and the coolness from the crema; it really gets your day going! Serves 6
Salsa:
5 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded.
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded.
2 dried Morris chiles, stemmed.
2 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded.
2/3 cup (5 ounces) Anne diced tomatoes and their juice.
2 cloves garlic
Salt
1/4 cup rice bran oil
3 cups water
Chilaquiles:
2 cups rice bran oil
12 soft corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch squares (4 cups)
1/2 cup chopped white onion
6 eggs, beaten
For Serving:
1/2 cup crema or sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Thinly sliced green onions
To make the salsa, heat a large skillet or griddle to high heat and add all of the dried chiles; cook, rotating frequently with tongs, until blistered in places but not burnt, 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer the chiles to a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water; let sit until softened, about 20 minutes.
Remove the chiles from their soaking water and transfer to a blender along with the tomatoes, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt; puree the salsa until smooth.
Heat the ¼ cup oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Pour the salsa into the pot quickly and all at once (be careful, as the oil may splatter), and bring the salsa to a boil. Stir in the water, bring to a simmer, and let cook for 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt as necessary. (Salsa can be prepared a day in advance.)
When ready to serve, fry the tortillas: Set a paper towel-lined platter next to the stove. In a large skillet, preheat the 2 cups oil until very hot, and then add half of the tortilla pieces. Cook, stirring with tongs to flip and submerge the tortillas as needed, until very crispy, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon or tongs and transfer to the prepared plate. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Transfer ¼ cup of the frying oil (or use fresh oil if desired) to a large nonstick skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the onions; lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in the beaten eggs all at once. When the layer of eggs looks about halfway cooked, distribute the fried tortilla pieces in the pan, allowing the eggs to stick to the chips. Cook, stirring constantly to scramble and distribute the eggs among the tortillas, until the eggs are cooked through. Add the salsa and mix well to coat.
To serve, transfer the chilaquiles to a large serving plate and top with the crema, queso fresco, cilantro, and green onions.
