Huevos Rancheros Verdes with Black Beans

My cooking class with Barbara Pool Fenzl at Rancho La Puerta was a lot of fun, but unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures of the food or the cooking school. I volunteered to make the Huevos Rancheros because I’ve never been able to poach eggs. This dish uses a green sauce, which I love, and black beans—also a favorite. I’m including a few more photos of the ranch along with this recipe. One is of the dining hall from outside and the other is our last night's dinner--the only one with wine. I'll try the "huevos" at home soon!

Huevos Rancheros Verdes with Black Beans

--By Barbara Pool Fenzl

Sauce
½ pound (about 5) medium tomatillos, husked, stems removed

2 cloves garlic, peeled

½ cup coarsely chopped onion

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup cilantro leaves2 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced

Beans, Eggs, & Assembly
1 tablespoon canola or corn oil

1 can (15 ounces) black beans
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons white vinegar

4 large eggs

4 corn tortillas (6 to 7 inches in diameter)

½ cup grated Cotija cheese (or substitute Monterey Jack)

½ cup finely chopped cilantro

For sauce, place tomatillos in a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat and simmer until tomatillos are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain off water and put tomatillos in a blender with garlic, onion, lime juice, salt, cumin, cilantro and serranos. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in avocado.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat; add the black beans, undrained, and mash them with a fork while stirring them over the heat. Season to taste and cook until warm and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Keep warm.

To poach the eggs, place water in a skillet or shallow pan to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Add vinegar and heat until water is at a low boil. Carefully break eggs into the pan and cook until the whites become opaque, about 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and gently place on paper towels.

For assembly, preheat broiler. Wrap tortillas in a damp, clean kitchen towel or damp paper towels. Cook for 1 minute on high power in a microwave oven. Place warm tortillas on a baking sheet and spread each one with black beans; top with an egg, about 3 tablespoons sauce and 2 tablespoons grated cheese. Place under the broiler just to melt the cheese. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Rancho La Puerta

I just returned from a week at a spa in Baja CA, and, boy, it couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s a beautiful spot, about 40 miles from San Diego, and we had perfect weather while there. I particularly enjoyed two-mile morning hikes, Pilates and water aerobics, and I also attended writer’ workshops in the afternoons. We had a cooking class one evening at the ranch’s cooking school, which has 8-acre organic garden attached. Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures at the cooking school or gardens.

The food at the ranch was terrific! Lots of fruit and vegetables, soup and salad at both dinner and lunch, along with a choice of two entrees—and you could ask for both! I didn’t lose any weight, but I didn’t gain any either. I probably ate more volume than usual—due to more exercise—but no meat, almost no bread or butter, and no wine (until the last night). It’s a beautiful place, low-key for a spa, and not at all fancy or snobbish. I would definitely recommend it. Here’s the link to the website: http://www.rancholapuerta.com/

The food picture above is from lunch the last day; the other shots are of the grounds.