Huevos Rancheros

To make the salsa, preheat an oven to 450°F (230°C) on the roast setting.

Cut half of the tomatoes into 2-inch (5-cm) chunks. Place the tomatoes and onions cut side down on a sheet tray. Roast until they are aromatic and have developed a nice char, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 2 minutes.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the remaining tomatoes and the remaining onions and boil until the tomatoes are slightly softened but still somewhat firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain.

Transfer all the tomatoes and onions to a food processor. Add the chile, garlic and cumin. Pulse 3 times, about 3 to 5 seconds each, until combined but still chunky. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Add as few or as many of the chile seeds as desired.

In a large non-stick fry pan over medium heat, warm 1/4 cup (2 oz./60 g) lard. Once melted and glistening, add the tomato mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer just until the salsa thickens up a bit, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Keep warm on low heat.

In a large cast-iron or nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining lard. Fry the tortillas one at a time until a nice golden edge has formed or until desired crispiness is reached, 10 to 15 seconds per side, adding more lard if needed. Using tongs, transfer the tortillas to a paper towel–lined plate and keep warm in the oven.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the fry pan cool down, about 2 minutes. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry until the whites are set and the yolks have begun to thicken but are not hard (cover the pan if you like firm yolks), about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the eggs to a roasting pan and keep warm in the oven.

To assemble the huevos rancheros, dip a tortilla into the salsa and spread a thin layer of beans on top. Place an egg on top of the beans. Spoon one to two spoonfuls of sala around the yolk of the egg and dollop the crema over top. Garnish with the queso fresco, avocado slices and cilantro. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and eggs and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen