Glassy Morning Huevos Rancheros

Served up by LANI, the Stewardess with all the world’s recipes.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 20 min · Serves: 4

Why surfers love it: Glassy mornings don't last, so you want breakfast that's fast, filling and made on one burner. Beans and salsa can be warmed while the eggs fry, and it all stacks on a tortilla, so there's barely anything to wash.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for frying
• ½ white onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 can (14 oz) crushed or diced tomatoes
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Salt, to taste
• 1 can (16 oz) refried beans
• 8 corn tortillas
• 4-8 eggs (1 or 2 per person)
• ½ cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• Fresh cilantro and lime wedges, to serve

Method

1. Make the salsa: heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion and jalapeño for 4-5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then the tomatoes, cumin and a pinch of salt. Simmer 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened, then keep warm.
2. Warm the refried beans in a small pot with a splash of water, stirring, until hot and spreadable.
3. In a separate skillet, heat a thin film of oil and fry the tortillas one or two at a time, about 30 seconds a side, until lightly crisp. Drain on a paper towel.
4. Fry the eggs in the same pan to your liking. Cook them until the whites are fully set; if you are serving kids, older adults or anyone pregnant, cook the yolks firm too.
5. Build each plate: two tortillas, a layer of beans, one or two eggs and a generous spoonful of warm salsa.
6. Top with cotija, avocado and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Tip: Make the salsa the night before and keep it in a jar in the cooler; it only needs a few minutes in the pan at the beach. Short on time? A good jarred salsa roja works too.

Surf-town roots

Huevos rancheros started as a ranch-hand breakfast in rural Mexico and became a diner and camp-stove staple all along the California coast. Our version is built for a single burner and a sandy tailgate.