Tacos de Huevo Revuelto con Salsa
El Almuerzo (The Morning Masa Rhythm)
Char supermarket Romas over an open gas burner, drop three eggs into a spitting cast-iron skillet, and let the eggs hiss against the hot metal. Treat the egg like a sponge: frying it into a thick, highly aerated omelet, chopping it up, and dropping it directly into a bubbling, smoky tomato broth. Eat it straight from the bowl while it's still steaming, perfumed with epazote and scooped up with store-bought corn tortillas and a side of standing beans.
Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes4 large
- jalapeño or serrano chiles2 med
- white onion1/4 med
- garlic cloves2 large
- neutral oil or bacon fat3 tbsp
- water or light chicken broth1 cup
- fresh epazote2 large
- salt1 1/4 tsp
- eggs6 large
- corn tortillas12 small
Method
- 01
Roast the tomatoes, chiles, onion, and garlic on a dry skillet.
Place a dry cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat. Add the whole Roma tomatoes, chiles, onion quarter, and unpeeled garlic. Roast them, turning occasionally, until the skins are deeply blistered and blackened. The garlic finishes first around 5 minutes; remove it so it doesn't turn bitter. The chiles will take 10 minutes, and the tomatoes about 15. This charring is non-negotiable for that true, smoky Oaxacan depth.
- 02
Blend the roasted vegetables into a smooth puree.
Peel the garlic and pull the stems off the chiles. Leave the seeds in if you want the authentic kick. Toss the tomatoes, chiles, onion, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of salt into a blender and process until smooth.
- 03
Fry the salsa and build the broth.
In a wide, deep skillet or clay cazuela, heat 1 tablespoon of oil or bacon fat over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully pour in the blended puree—it will sputter aggressively. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce darkens and thickens. Stir in the water or broth and drop in the epazote. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.
- 04
Vigorously whisk the eggs until highly aerated.
Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and beat them with a fork. Do not stop until they are extremely frothy and full of air bubbles. This ensures the egg will puff up into a sponge.
- 05
Fry the eggs into a thick, solid omelet without scrambling.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil or bacon fat in a separate non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the eggs and leave them alone. Once the bottom is deeply browned and the top is mostly set, carefully flip the entire mass to cook the other side. Slide it onto a cutting board and slice it into two-inch squares.
- 06
Marry the egg and salsa.
Gently slide the egg squares into the simmering tomato broth. Let them simmer together for 3 to 5 minutes so the spongy egg can absorb the smoky liquid.
- 07
Remove the epazote and serve immediately.
Ladle the saucy eggs into shallow bowls. In Oaxaca, you don't eat this with a fork—you tear off a piece of hot tortilla, use it to pinch a piece of the egg and a scoop of thick black beans, and eat.
Notes
Frijoles Parados (Standing Beans)
Salsa de Huevo is incomplete without its legendary companion: whole black beans served thick, with almost no broth. To hack this on a weeknight, fry a thick slice of white onion in a saucepan until browned. Pour in two cans of partially drained black beans, a sprig of epazote, and a smashed garlic clove. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until the liquid reduces completely and the beans stand up on the plate.
The Epazote Mandate
Epazote is the aromatic soul of this dish, lending an earthy, resinous note that cannot be accurately replicated. You can find it fresh or dried in most local Latin markets. If you are entirely out of luck, use fresh cilantro as a garnish, but know that you're missing the true grandma secret.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.