Huevos Motuleños con Plátano Macho Frito
Huevos Motuleños con Plátano Macho Frito
Desayunos Fuertes: Weekend Mornings at Home
Invented in the 1920s to feed a visiting governor and his entourage, this masterpiece of layering is the undisputed heavyweight champion of Yucatecan breakfasts. It is a towering architecture of lightly crisped tortillas, silky strained beans, fried eggs, and a deeply savory tomato sauce. The real genius of the dish lies in the chiltomate: dropping a whole, unpunctured habanero into the simmering sauce infuses the meal with the peninsula's intoxicating floral aromas, without blowing out anyone's palate.
Before you start
Quick-thaw the peas.
Run the frozen peas under warm water in a colander for 30 seconds to bring them back to life without turning them to mush.
Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes4 large
- white onion1/4 med
- garlic clove1 large
- fresh habanero pepper1 med
- salt1/2 tsp
- canned black beans15 oz
- onion powder1/4 tsp
- plátano macho1 large
- corn tortillas8 med
- eggs8 large
- thick deli ham steak1 med
- frozen green peas1/2 cup
- Queso Fresco1/2 cup
- vegetable oil1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Blend and simmer the silky beans.
Pour the entire can of black beans with their liquid and the onion powder into a blender, pureeing until completely smooth. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan over a gentle simmer, carefully add the bean puree, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until it thickens into a velvety, spreadable paste.
- 02
Blend and simmer the chiltomate sauce.
Rinse the blender, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic, and blend until mostly smooth. Heat another tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan, pour in the puree, gently drop in the whole habanero and salt, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the habanero before serving.
- 03
Caramelize the sweet plantain.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat, frying the sliced plantain until deeply golden brown and caramelized on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, salt lightly, and wipe the skillet clean.
- 04
Lightly fry the tortillas.
Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over medium-high heat and quickly fry the tortillas one at a time for about 15 seconds per side. They should be sturdy enough to hold the toppings but still slightly pliable in the center.
- 05
Fry the eggs.
Reduce the heat to medium and use the remaining hot oil to fry the eggs to your family's preference. A sunny-side-up egg with a runny yolk creates an incredible richness when it eventually mixes with the sauce.
- 06
Assemble the towering masterpiece.
Lay two fried tortillas side-by-side on each plate and spread a generous layer of warm black beans over them. Top each with a fried egg, drown them in the hot chiltomate sauce, and scatter the diced ham, green peas, and crumbled cheese over the top, serving the caramelized plantains on the side.
Notes
The habanero trick is mandatory.
Dropping an unpunctured habanero into the sauce infuses it with essential oils and floral aromas without unleashing the chili's heat. Just make sure the skin doesn't burst while you stir.
Don't skimp on the plantain's ripeness.
The skin should be almost entirely black and yielding to the touch to provide the crucial sweet contrast to the salty ham and cheese.