Carrie Baird’s outrageous huevos rancheros recipe
Bobby Flay’s newest cookbook is launching just as the 29th season of his crazy-popular Food Network show, “Beat Bobby Flay,” takes to the airwaves. The cookbook, “Beat Bobby Flay: Conquer the Kitchen with 100+ Battle-tested Recipes” (Clarkson Potter), offers competitors an edge — and gives home cooks a chance to whip up some incredible recipes, including chef Carrie Baird’s huevos rancheros.
Baird, who owns Denver’s Bar Dough, competed — and won — episode 2201, “It’s Gonna be a Late Night,” with this spicy take on a classic.
She makes her own chorizo, grinding pork shoulder with a fragrant mix of fresh oregano, ground cumin, smoked Spanish paprika, cayenne and chile de árbol.
If you don’t want to make your own chorizo, she says, you can buy 1 pound of fresh Mexican chorizo, loose or in links.
Carrie Baird’s Huevos Rancheros with Homemade Chorizo and Pico de Gallo Salsa Verde Serves 6. Reprinted with permission from “Beat Bobby Flay.” Ingredients
6 flour tortillas, 6-inch diameter Canola oil 1 pound Mexican-style chorizo (recipe follows) Roasted salsa verde (recipe follows) 6 corn tortillas, 6-inch diameter Sea salt Black beans (recipe follows) 6 fried eggs Pico de Gallo Salsa Verde (recipe follows) Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Direction
Wrap the flour tortillas tightly with foil and keep warm in a 200-degree oven until ready to assemble the dish. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large deep skillet over high heat until shimmering. Put the homemade chorizo (or 1 pound fresh Mexican chorizo) in the pan and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add the roasted salsa verde and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chorizo is cooked through, 25 minutes. Line a sheet pan with paper towels. Pour 2 inches of oil into a deep sauté pan and heat over medium heat to 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry the corn tortillas, one at a time, until lightly golden brown, 30 seconds. Remove to the sheet pan and season with salt. To serve, put a flour tortilla on each plate and top with some of the black beans. Put a fried tortilla on top and spoon some of the chorizo mixture over it. Put a fried egg on top of the chorizo, top with the pico de gallo salsa verde and garnish with cilantro.
Homemade Chorizo Ingredients
1 pound pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes K pound pork fatback, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon sweet smoked Spanish paprika 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons chile de árbol powder 1 whole clove, crushed 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces 6 garlic cloves, chopped Sea salt K cup cider vinegar Freshly ground black pepper
Direction
Make the chorizo: Combine the pork, fatback, onion, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, chile de árbol, clove, cinnamon stick, garlic and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or put in the freezer for 20 minutes. Using the medium die of a meat grinder attachment for a stand mixer and working in batches, grind the mixture into the bowl. Remove the grinder attachment and attach a chilled paddle attachment to the mixer. Add the vinegar to the ground meat and beat until combined. Season with salt and black pepper. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate the chorizo for up to 48 hours.
Roasted Salsa Verde Ingredients
1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed, large ones halved 1 large poblano chile, coarsely chopped 2 Anaheim chiles, coarselychopped 2 jalapeños 2 serrano chiles 2 tablespoons canola oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Direction
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the tomatillos, poblano, Anaheims, jalapeños and serranos in a large bowl. Add the oil, season with salt and black pepper and toss well to coat. Spread the mixture onto a sheet pan in an even layer and roast until the tomatillos and chiles are slightly charred and soft, stirring once, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven (reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees to keep the tortillas warm) and when cool enough to handle, coarsely chop and return them to the bowl.
Black Beans Ingredients
1 pound dried black beans, picked over and soaked overnight in cold water 1 quart pork stock, chicken stock or water 1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Direction
Drain the beans and add to a large pot. Add stock to cover by 2 inches. Add the onion, garlic, coriander, and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and black pepper.
Pico de Gallo Salsa Verde Ingredients
K ound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and finely diced K pound green tomatoes, finely diced (or more tomatillos) 1 medium onion, finely diced 1 jalapeño, finely diced 1 serrano chile, finely diced K cup chopped fresh cilantro Juice of 2 limes Few dashes of green habanero sauce, such as El Yucateco Kosher salt
Direction
Combine all the pico de gallo ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt to taste. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.