Saturdays are for brunch. A deliciously long, hearty brunch meal with friends. I most definitely look forward to it all week. I started going for brunch across the city with a steady group of girlfriends nearly 10 years ago. The same posse of amigas still remains; with the exception of one who moved across the pond to London. We go as far as skyping her into brunch, true story. And on Saturdays when there are no mainstream brunch plans brewing, I make my own little party at home.
Last Saturday was a huevos rancheros kind of Saturday. I was craving something savory, and sweet and spicy. This was incredibly good and filling- and best of all gluten and dairy free. You can win them all. Whoever said you couldn’t, was lying to you.
You will need:
- One yellow or white corn tortilla
( You can either buy them or make your own. I will have a separate post on the science of making tortillas at home. There actually is no science, just a little skill! If you buy the really thin ones, I advise you to layer 3 or 4- as you need a thick base on which to rest the egg.)
- One white onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chilli Flakes
- Olive Oil OR Deodorized Coconut Oil
- 1-2 eggs
- 1 Avocado
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- 1 tablespoon of cilantro
1. First things first, we’ll make the salsa. I believe the salsa makes or breaks this dish. I don’t like to use pre-ready made, especially when making your own makes it taste so fresh and delicious and it’s insanely easy to make. Use a non-stick or cast-iron pan and add a spoonful of either coconut oil or olive oil while setting it to medium heat. We then chop the onion and the green and red peppers into small chunks. When the pan is hot, we throw them all in. The smell of this veggie trio cooking is one of the best smells in the world. It’s so fragrant and your entire kitchen will smell so good. Add the chilli flakes, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. We stir around until softened and then we add half a cup of water, slowly, to turn it all into a reduction. We don’t want it overly watery. Just enough water for it to have that wonderful salsa-like consistency.
2. We warm up the tortillas in an oven for 2 minutes. Over heating them will make them hard and flaky.
3. We cook a sunny side up egg, I like to cook mine 1-2 minutes on each side. A creamy yolk is key, you want those juices flowing over the tortilla, the salsa and the avocado.
4. Time to assemble! Layer the tortilla with fresh salsa and add the egg topped with some more salsa. Cilantro is always the final touch. I like to crack the yolk with my fork right before I start eating. I love to pair this dish with black beans and avocado- but you may pick whatever side(s) you like. Happy Brunching!
