Huevos ‘Van’ Cheros

‘Huevos rancheros (or ranch-style eggs, as they are known throughout Mexico and the US Southwest) was one of the first meals Hailee made for me and I’ve been in love ever since. This is our shared method for the road, using scrambled instead of fried eggs. The pico de gallo is optional here; store-bought salsa will work just as well instead. Just make sure you don’t forget the hot sauce!’

Serves 4

● 200g raw rice (any type)

For the beans:

● ½ red onion, diced

● 4 garlic cloves, sliced

● 1 tbsp olive oil

● ½ small bunch of coriander, stalks finely diced, leaves saved for garnish

● 1 tomato, chopped

● 2 tbsp ground cumin

● 2 x 400g cans black beans, drained and rinsed

● Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the rest:

● 4 large corn tortillas (1 per person)

● A knob of butter

● 8 eggs, whisked together with a fork and a little salt

● 200g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

● Pico de gallo or store-bought salsa, to taste

● 1 lime, cut into quarters

● Tabasco sauce or similar hot sauce, to taste

● 4 dollops of soured cream or Greek-style yoghurt (optional)

1 The first step is to make the rice. Once cooked, keep it warm in the pan. While your rice is simmering, take out a second pot for the beans. Cook the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt in the olive oil over a medium heat, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

2 Add in the coriander stalks and chopped tomato. Cook for another minute, then add in the cumin and a splash of water, and keep stirring for 5 minutes or so.

3 Add in your black beans, then add about a canful of water to cover them. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a medium heat for 20 minutes until the sauce is reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally. To finish, mash the beans a little with a fork, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce a little more if they’re too runny. Prepare the rest of your ingredients while the beans are cooking and rice is resting.

4 Take a large, dry, non-stick frying pan and heat until hot. Cook your tortillas, one at a time, over a high heat for about 30 seconds on each side, flipping them over once. Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm. Repeat until they’re all cooked.

5 Finally, make your scrambled eggs. In the tortilla pan, add in a knob of butter and your eggs. Keep over a low heat, stirring with a spatula and cooking through until the egg comes together with large folds but is still a little runny. Turn the heat off to finish cooking and keep warm.

6 Now to assemble. Place each tortilla flat on a plate and top with the rice, beans and some scrambled eggs. Sprinkle over the grated cheese, then top with the salsa. Garnish each portion with a wedge of lime, the coriander leaves and some hot sauce. Add a dollop of soured cream or yoghurt to the side.