HUEVOS RANCHEROS

Basics.  Fundamentals.  Boiling things down to their essential elements and building them up again.  

One of the most exciting aspects of my journey with food, nutrition and cooking in the past year has been home-making the basics: pantry staples that are so simple (and so much healthier) to create at home, but which I--like most others--had never considered could come from anywhere but the grocery store shelves.  I previously wrote about the overwhelming excitement and empowerment I felt the very first time I made nut butter from scratch.  The same is true of granola, salad dressings, sauces, and my latest love, homemade almond milk.  Choosing to tackle these gastronomic fundamentals in the kitchen rather than reaching for the (arguably more convenient) ready-made jar offers so many benefits, most exciting of which are heightened nutrition, direct agency, and boundless possibilities for creativity!

One of the most important aspects for me of homemaking pantry staples is that it grants me complete control over the freshness, type and quality of the ingredients I put into my body--not to mention eliminates my consumption of bizarro additives, unnecessary quantities of sugar, and unnatural preservatives.  Granola made with 'sugar', 'glucose syrup' and 'vegetable oil' immediately following 'oats'?  No thanks, I'll make my own with cold-pressed olive oil and 100% pure maple syrup.  Salsa that has been sitting in a container in a factory/on a plane/in a truck/on a shop shelf for who knows how long?  Nah, I'll whip some up that's truly salsa fresca.  By operating in this way, I am also voting with my dollars to support the foods that are real and whole rather than the processed food-like-substances (and the companies that produce them) which have overtaken our grocery baskets, our mainstream contemporary food culture, and our bodies.  It is truly so refreshing and empowering; I cannot encourage you enough to start the same process, if you haven't already.

In addition to the invaluable benefits of treating our bodies well and developing closer and more meaningful relationships with our food, homemaking pantry staples provides countless opportunities for creativity!  Food in its most whole and individual forms is like an artist's palate, offering so many flavors, textures and colors with which to play.  Oils and vinegars, nuts and seeds, fruit and veg, herbs and spices...oh the joy!  The experimentation!  The possibility! 

Ultimately, this ode to making the basics brings us to a very important place: Mexican food.  When a good friend and I decided to host an enchilada dinner party a few weeks ago, using store bought enchilada sauce simply wasn't an option.  We found an intriguing recipe, set out to the market (with our admittedly lengthy ingredients list), and tackled the enchiladas head on.  The sauce?  Silence-inducing.  For the first few bites, we spoke only through full mouths and shocked stares.  It was that good.

This recipe for huevos rancheros could be 'lunch in 15 minutes', but it's not.  I could easily list the ingredients as 'salsa', 'refried beans' and 'enchilada sauce', all of which you could effortlessly find readymade for you in jars at the market, but I don't.  Because, in addition to all the reasons I discussed above, the bold, fresh and incredible flavors that this recipe delivers are the product of making each of these elements from scratch.*  Yes, these huevos rancheros are a bit of a labor of love.  But let me tell you, they taste amazing for it!  Also, the most labor-intensive element of this process--the ranchero sauce--freezes incredibly well.  Make a big batch and you'll have it on hand for your next Mexican craving, whether that's summertime enchiladas to feed a crowd or a quick weeknight burrito bowl for one. 

*After all this proselytizing, I feel it is important to acknowledge that I did use store bought tortillas, canned black beans for the refried beans, and canned tomatoes for the ranchero sauce.  I definitely intend to give homemade tortillas a try next time, and I encourage you to do so if you have time!  Ditto for cooking the beans from dried.  But let's be real, the rest of this takes ample time.  Do what you can.  Any percentage of homemade goods is better than none at all!

Huevos Rancheros
Serves two, with leftover sauce

Ingredients
2 corn tortillas (look for proper no-additives tortillas, made with masa, water and salt)
2 eggs
olive oil or coconut oil for frying

Ranchero Sauce, minimally adapted from The Faux Martha
(I came across this sauce when making these undeniably delicious enchiladas from Sprouted Kitchen.  The sauce is flawless; a total keeper!)
25 oz. chopped tomatoes, canned
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 garlic clove
1/2 - 1 jalapeno, deseeded and sliced
3/4 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. thyme
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
pinch muscovado sugar

Refried Beans
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. coconut oil (or preferred cooking oil)
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
chili flakes (optional, to taste)
pinch sea salt (if beans were not in salted water)

Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo)
3 tomatoes, medium sized and ripe but firm
1/3 red onion
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped (leaves + stems!)
1 lime
pinch sea salt

Garnish
1/2 avocado, sliced
crumbly cheese (preferably cotija or queso fresco; goat cheese is a good substitute if Mexican cheeses are inaccessible)
cilantro
sea salt + freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
Ranchero Sauce
(If easier, this can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated or defrosted from frozen.)  
1.  Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2.  Transfer to a saucepan and simmer until warm and thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo)
1.  Chop tomatoes into 1/2" (1cm) cubes, discarding the seeds and juices.
2.  Dice red onion into small cubes.  Set aside 2/3 for the refried beans.
2.  Mix tomatoes in a bowl with the leftover 1/3 diced onion and chopped cilantro.
3.  Squeeze in juice of 1/2 a lime.  Add a pinch of salt.  Stir.
4.  Adjust flavors to taste.  Set aside.

Refried Beans
2.  In a medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. coconut oil.  Add the remaining 2/3 chopped onion and sauté until beginning to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
3.  Stir in paprika, cumin and chili flakes, if using.  Cook for a minute.  Add a splash of water to deglaze the pot if the spices are sticking.
4.  Add the black beans and stir until covered by onions, garlic and spices.  Let cook for a few minutes to heat up and absorb the flavors.
5.  Occasionally stir and mash up the beans, turning them into a bit of a paste with larger chunky bits.  Add splashes of water in small increments if the beans begin to get dry.
6.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Turn off heat when happy with taste and texture. 

Eggs and Tortillas
1.  If your tortillas are burrito-sized, cut them down to taco size using a small plate as a guide.
2-A.  If you have a gas stove, turn heat on low and place tortillas directly over the flame to heat.  Keep an eye on them so they don't burn, moving them around and flipping over for an even char.  Don't let them get crispy!  Put on plate.
2-B.  If you have an electric stove, heat tortillas in a dry skillet on the stove until warm and slightly browned but still soft.  Put on plate.
3.  In a small frying pan over a medium heat, heat a splash of oil (or butter, if you prefer).  Crack one egg directly into the pan.  Let cook uninterrupted until the white has turned opaque and the edges get a bit crispy.  Repeat with second egg.

Assembling the Huevos Rancheros
1.  While the eggs are cooking, pile hot refried beans on top of the tortillas.
2.  Place fried eggs on top of refried beans.  Spoon salsa onto each plate next to the egg.  Add slices of avocado and a generous sprinkle of crumbly cheese.  Drizzle desired amount of ranchero sauce over everything.
3.  Top off with sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and cilantro leaves.

ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE TACOS (with SWEET POTATO, BEETROOT + PERSIMMON)

Memory is a strange and funny thing.  It’s incredible, how connected each of our senses is to the triggering of different memories; the way a certain scent can immediately bring you back to a precise place that you haven’t recollected in ages, or a specific song can make you feel like you’re fifteen and irrevocably lovelorn all over again (or hopefully make you laugh at the memory of it).  Food and taste have an interesting relationship to memory, as food is so often at the crux of social events or gatherings.  We associate certain dishes with specific holidays; remember our excitement when our mothers let us lick the bowl of cake batter or cookie dough; recall what we prepared to eat on the occasion of making that daunting or exhilarating announcement.

Sometimes food is imbued with memory because of who we were with or what transpired when we consumed it, while in other instances it comprises the memory in-and-of itself.  The mind-blowingly delicious, sweet and creamy 'normal' cheese (as the Spaniards called it) that topped a bocadito I shared with my best friend in Barcelona this past July will absolutely go down in history.  As will the infamous maple cinnamon almond butter, both for its truly insane taste and for initiating my foray into the wonderful world of homemade nut butter.  And forevermore, the sight and taste of a ripe, succulent persimmon will remind me of these roasted winter root veg tacos, shared with good friends and family I hadn't seen in ages, a pure delight of distinct, bold, and perfectly complimentary flavors. 

My creation of these tacos was impelled by a serendipitous tasting at my local famers’ market in Los Angeles over the holidays.  It may go without saying, but I am a huge fan of free samples—especially if they’re of seasonal, quality produce, baked goods, or artisanal cheeses.  Meandering through the endlessly vibrant stalls of the market one Saturday, I happened upon a produce seller offering samples of persimmon (known as sharon fruit here in the UK).  I had only ever tasted persimmon once before in my life, as a child; I remembered the way it made my tongue feel like sandpaper, a bewitched fruit that mysteriously altered the sensorial chemistry of my mouth.  While this mildly traumatizing experience had averted me from the fruit for the following two decades of my life, I was now a new woman: adventuresome, eager, in love with food, and willing to take the risk.  I would taste it again. 

Sweet, succulent, and juicy, this fruit instantaneously worked its magic on me, but of an entirely different variety this time around.  I excitedly approached the grocer and bought more persimmons than I knew what to do with.  But I wasn’t concerned.  I knew I would figure something out.

The following evening, I had plans to cook dinner with a few friends.  Mulling over what would be fun and easy to make for a party of four, lightening suddenly struck: tacos, but with a twist.  They would have elements of traditional tacos (corn tortilla, black beans) but be rooted in the produce that was thriving at the moment. They would be persimmon tacos.  With beetroot.  And sweet potato.  A marriage of seasonal flavors, fruit and veg, fresh and roasted, bursting with color.  Being made in LA (which has the benefits of certain foodstuffs that are impossible to find in London), they would feature proper Mexican cheese.  Fresh cilantro and a creamy coconut sauce.  The layers of ideas were bubbling in my head. I simply couldn't wait to make them.

While these tacos require many individual bits to fully execute, they are worth all the effort--for their simultaneous freshness and warmth, their sweetness and zing, and the true explosion of flavor they produce with each eager bite. They provide a burst of color and a sheer joy of taste that will surely brighten up these cold, bleak winter days.

Roasted Root Vegetable Tacos (with Sweet Potato, Beetroot & Persimmon)

Serves two

Ingredients

4 soft corn tortillas, taco size (if you can't find small corn tortillas at your market, you can use the burrito sized ones and cut them into smaller rounds)

1 persimmon a.k.a. sharon fruit (ripe! not rock hard, like many in the UK are)

Queso fresco, cotija cheese, or crumbly goat cheese (optional)

fresh cilantro for garnish

Maple-Miso Sweet Potatoes, inspired by Love + Lemons

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, cut into 1" cubes

1/2 Tbsp. miso paste (organic, non-GMO; light or dark is fine)

1/2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

Roasted Beetroot

3 medium beets

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. thyme

squeeze of 1/2 a lemon

Spiced Black Beans

1 15-oz can black beans (or you can cook them from dry if you have time!)

2 tsp. coconut oil (or cooking oil of choice)

1 small red onion, largely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. red chili flakes (or to taste)

(Coconut) Lime Cilantro Sauce -- great with the coconut or without

1/2 cup (4 oz) plain probiotic yogurt (make sure it has no additives, just yogurt)

3 Tbsp. unsweetened dried coconut (optional)

3 Tbsp. cilantro, leaves + stems finely minced

1 tsp. cold-pressed olive oil

1/2 lime, juice + zest

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1.  Make sauce.  If using coconut, heat oven to 350°F / 180°C / Gas 4.  Spread coconut on a baking tray and toast until lightly golden, 5-7 minutes.  Finely chop or mash with a mortar and pestle.  Once coconut is prepped, or if omitting, mix all sauce ingredients together.  For a smoother sauce, you can combine all the ingredients in a food processor, reserving olive oil to drizzle in and process at the end. Place in fridge to let flavors meld.

2.  Pre-heat oven to 400°F / 200°C / Gas 6.  

3.  Starting with the beetroot, cut off the stems and wash off any dirt (no need to peel).  Loosely wrap each beet in foil and set on a baking tray.  Roast for 50-60 minutes, checking every 20 minutes or so to make sure they aren't sticking to the tray or burning.  Beets are done when a fork slides into their middles easily.

4.  Once the beets are in the oven, chop your sweet potato into 1" cubes.  Place in a roasting tin, coat lightly with olive or coconut oil and sprinkle with salt.  Roast for 10-15 minutes, until just beginning to soften.

5.  Mix miso paste and maple syrup together.

6.  Remove sweet potato from oven, pour over the miso-maple marinade and toss to coat.  Roast sweet potato for an additional 10-15 minutes, until softened and caramelized. (I find that blasting them under the grill or broiler for the last 5 minutes of cooking produces a superior caramelization than cooking them in the oven the entire time.) Set aside.

7.  When the beets are cooked through, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes.  After they are cool enough to handle, use a paper towel and your thumbs to slide the skins off the beets.  They should come off quite easily.  If not, they may need a few more minutes in the oven.  

8.  Dice beets into 1" cubes.  Toss with ground coriander, thyme and lemon juice.  Set aside.

9.  Prepare black beans. In a saucepan on medium heat, sauté diced onion with oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, paprika and chili flakes and cook for an additional 1 minute.  

10.  Drain and rinse black beans.  Add to saucepan with the onions and spices.  Stir to coat and cook until thoroughly warmed.  Set aside.

11.  Slice persimmon into strips.  Set aside.

12.  When ready to serve, heat tortillas in oven or directly over the flame on a gas stove, watching carefully to make sure they don't burn.  Top with beans, beetroot, sweet potato, cheese (if using), yogurt sauce and fresh cilantro.  Promptly devour!