I adore dinner parties. But the truth is they can be stressful AF, especially if you're a novice cook. That's why I vote we start making brunch parties more of a "thing". For starters, brunch foods are inherently simpler and outsourcing certain elements (namely pastry) is not only perfectly acceptable, but often preferred because croissant-making is an art that in my opinion is best left for the professionals. And I don't know about you guys, but I find it tough to coordinate evening availability with friends, especially over the holidays. However it's often easier to get people to squeeze in a couple hours to come and hang for brunch than it is to get them to commit to a dinner date. Plus, by entertaining early afternoon you'll have the entire evening to yourself to unwind and do other things.
I developed this huevos chilaquiles recipe for a fun cooking class I hosted at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair with Egg Farmers of Ontario. I wanted to create something hearty, fresh, and super tasty that would be extra-special to share at brunch. After the class when we were all eating together and chatting one of the partipants said, "That was way too easy to taste this good!", and she's not wrong. The key to success with this dish is sourcing a delicious, fresh chorizo sausage (you can DM me on Instagram to learn about my favourite source) - it's the key flavouring element in the meaty sauce and anchors all the other components. And here's the best part: the chorizo-tomato sauce can totally be made in advance for an even easier, breezier brunch party. In fact, I would even go as far as to make a bigger batch of the sauce and freeze it in portions because all the quality and flavour will remain intact, and I do love making kitchen lives easier whenever possible. If you're pressed for time I would even prep the toppings the night before, except for the diced avocadoes, crispy spiced tortillas, and the eggs.
Be sure to post and tag me when you try this one! xx
Makes 2 portions
Ingredients
| 6 | 6 or 7" flour tortillas, cut into strips or triangles |
| canola oil, for frying | |
| 1 tsp | chili powder |
| 2 | fresh chorizo sausages, squeezed from casings |
| 1 | small onion, finely chopped |
| 3 Tbsp | tomato paste |
| 1/4 tsp | ground cumin |
| 1 cup | fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped |
| 1/4 - 1/2 cup | water |
| sea salt & pepper, to taste | |
| 4 | eggs, large |
| 1 cup | black beans |
| 1/4 cup | red bell pepper, diced small |
| 1/4 cup | yellow bell pepper, diced small |
| 1/2 | lime, juice squeezed to dress avocado |
| 1 | avocado |
| 1 | jalapeno, thinly sliced |
| 3 Tbsp | sour cream |
| cilantro (if it doesn't taste like soap to you |
Directions
- Line a plate with paper towels and keep it handy - the tortillas will crisp quickly in the pan.
- Stack tortillas. Cut them in half and then make 4 vertical cuts to create thick strips.
- Heat a nonstick pan over medium-low. Once heated add a nice swirl of oil, let it warm a moment, and then add enough tortilla pieces to create a single layer. Cook less than 1 minute per side until lightly golden and crisp. Transfer to lined dish and season immediately with chili powder and salt, to your taste. Repeat until all tortilla strips are crisped. Set aside, and exercise self-control...you'll want these later for dipping.
- Heat the same pan over medium. Add oil, chorizo, onion, tomato paste, cumin, and chili powder. Cook about 3-5 minutes while stirring and use tip of wooden spoon to break up the chorizo into small bits.
- Add tomatoes, and water. Stir to incorporate, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook about 10 minutes until chorizo is cooked through. Add more water if needed to achieve stew-like consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Add the chorizo sauce to the centre of a shallow bowl (pasta bowls are the best for this). Arrange the black beans, bell peppers, and avocado on top, and then take care of the eggs.
- For best results cook the eggs to your liking right before serving and set in the serving bowls. Note: I like them scrambled, but poached or fried are another great option. The only rule is that you make them how you like them!
- Garnish bowls with green onion, jalapeno, sour cream, and cilantro (if it's allowed in your kitchen). Serve immediately and enjoy!
