Frijoles de la Olla con Huevos y Salsa Pasilla-Miltomate
Frijoles de la Olla con Huevos y Salsa Pasilla-Miltomate·(free-HOH-lehs deh lah OH-yah kohn WEH-vohs ee SAHL-sah pah-SEE-yah meel-toh-MAH-teh)
Mañanas en la Cocina: Breakfasts & Morning Rhythms
If you want to know what a real Oaxacan morning smells like, it is the earthy, medicinal steam of epazote rising from a pot of black beans, cutting through the intoxicating smoke of toasted chiles. In Oaxaca, this isn't a dainty breakfast; it is an almuerzo designed to fortify you for the day, relying on techniques an abuela would swear by: salting beans only when they are completely tender, and drowning fluffy scrambled eggs directly in the hot salsa so they swell like smoky, tart sponges. Finding authentic Sierra Mixe pasillas in an Ohio suburb is nearly impossible, so we use a generational diaspora trick—blending standard, raisiny pasillas with dried morita to recreate that profound, ancestral woodsmoke.
Before you start
Pick over the dried black beans to remove any small stones or debris.
Rinse them thoroughly under cold water before cooking to ensure the broth is clean and earthy.
Ingredients
- dried black beans1 lb
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic cloves3 med
- pork lard or olive oil1 tbsp
- sprig fresh epazote1 large
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- dried standard pasilla chiles3 med
- dried morita chiles2 med
- miltomates or tomatillos1 lb
- garlic cloves2 med
- white onion1/4 med
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- water or low sodium chicken broth1 cup
- eggs8 large
- vegetable oil1 tbsp
- kosher salt and black pepper1 pinch
- warm corn tortillas8 med
- queso fresco1/2 cup
- fresh cilantro and white onion1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Cook the beans with a strict late-salting rule to guarantee perfectly tender skins.
Add the beans, the half onion, three peeled garlic cloves, lard, and 6 cups of water to an electric pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes before allowing a natural release, or simmer in a heavy pot on the stove with 8 cups of water for about an hour and a half.
- 02
Simmer the tender beans with epazote and salt to build the rich savory broth.
Once the beans are completely soft, drop in the fresh epazote and the 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, simmering gently for 15 more minutes to allow the herb to release its medicinal, aromatic oils.
- 03
Toast the dried chiles on a hot dry skillet for exactly ten to fifteen seconds per side.
Press the pasilla and morita chiles flat against a medium-hot comal or skillet just until they become fragrant and pliable; do not let them smoke heavily or burn, as a scorched chili will bitterly ruin the entire salsa.
- 04
Rehydrate the toasted chiles in boiling water for fifteen minutes until completely soft.
Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl, submerge them in hot water, and discard the bitter soaking liquid once they are fully rehydrated.
- 05
Roast the tomatillos onion and unpeeled garlic in the dry skillet until blistered and olive green.
Let the tomatillos soften and develop charred spots alongside the aromatics for about ten to fifteen minutes, then remove them from the heat and peel the garlic.
- 06
Blend the softened chiles and roasted aromatics into a rustic slightly chunky salsa.
Combine the chiles, tomatillos, garlic, onion, half teaspoon of salt, and a cup of water or chicken broth in a blender, pulsing until it comes together without turning into a watery purée.
- 07
Scramble the eggs in hot fat until they form large fluffy golden curds.
Beat the eggs vigorously with a pinch of salt and pepper, then pour them into a shimmering skillet of oil or lard over medium-high heat, letting them set for a moment before gently pushing them around.
- 08
Drown the mostly set eggs directly in the blended salsa and let them simmer.
Pour the salsa straight into the hot skillet so it sizzles and fries in the residual oil, then reduce the heat and let the eggs act as a sponge, absorbing the smoky tart liquid for three to five minutes.
- 09
Serve the eggs and beans side by side in shallow bowls with warm corn tortillas.
Ladle a generous portion of the frijoles with their dark broth next to the smoky huevos, garnishing with crumbled cheese, diced onion, and cilantro.
Notes
The pasilla diaspora trick.
True Oaxacan pasillas are a rare, heavily smoked chili from the Sierra Mixe region. Blending standard raisiny pasillas with smoky morita or chipotle chiles flawlessly mimics the authentic flavor profile for an American kitchen.
The science of late-salting beans.
Never salt your beans at the beginning of the cook. Salt interferes with the breakdown of pectin in the cellular walls, guaranteeing tough skins. Always wait until they are fully soft.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.