To me, the best hangover cure is chilaquiles, spicy, loaded with flavour, filling, and oh-so-satisfying. Originally, chilaquiles were designed to use up old tortillas and other ingredients from the day before, but today this dish is an art form with limitless variations. It is believed that chilaquiles are the most common breakfast dish and are popular in every Mexican taco restaurant serving breakfast.
The variations come in many forms. The eggs can be scrambled or fried. The salsas can vary from this robust dark salsa to light red, green or pico de galls. Black or pinto beans can be added, whole or refried. Meats can be added, from the most popular being fried chorizo to leftover carne asada or al pastor, and so on. The best places allow you to make your magic variation to suit your heavy head and empty belly.
This is a bold dish with all the flavour coming from the salsa and the mix of chillies in it. The anchos add a caramel-ly sweetness, the chipotles a smoky aroma, and the guajillo an acidic heat. The eggs add the body, and the garnishes add that pop of herb to round off the dish. This is a hearty plate that is begging to be consumed.
This is a wonderful book from the famed restaurant in San Francisco. I love the recipes and flavours in this book. The chef has compiled a wonderful selection of recipes, both traditional and contemporary, to make your palate happy and satisfy those cravings for great Mexican food. This is a book I love to cook from.
For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.
Ingredients:
For the chilaquiles:
5 dried guajillo chillies
2 dried ancho chillies
3 dried morita chillies
2 chipotle chillies
3 cups water
2 tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons oil
1 pack of tortilla chips
For the scrambled eggs:
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon oil
8 eggs
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cream
2-3 tablespoons cilantro, minced
To serveñ
sour cream
Queso fresco
Scallions, cut into circles
Cilantro, minced
Pickled jalapenos
On a dry frying pan, roast the chilies individually for 3-4 seconds each until they smoke. Add the roasted chilies to the water and submerge them by adding a small plate on top. Soak for 4 hours or overnight.
Deseed and stem the chillies, saving the soaking liquids.
Add the chillies, tomatoes, garlic, and salt to a small blender and blitz until smooth.
Heat a pot with the oil and add the chilli purèe, along with the stained soaking liquids and salt. Cook for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened considerably. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Set aside.
In a bowl, add the eggs, salt, pepper, cream, and cilantro, mixing until smooth. Set aside.
In a small pot, add the oil and fry the onion on low heat until it is soft and translucent. Once it begins to take on a light golden colour, add the egg mix and whisk continually to cook. Cook until the eggs have just firmed up but are meltingly soft.
Heat a large wok with the salsa. Once it begins to boil, toss in the tortilla chips and toss well to coat them with the salsa. Very quickly, add the coated chilaquiles to a plate and top it with the scrambled eggs. Top with all the garnishes or to your taste.
Serve immediately.