Huevos Rancheros

100 ways, eh? The number is the symbolism behind the form of the traditional toque, or chef's hat. The number of pleats, we are told, remind us of the many ways that he knows how to cook eggs. Once upon a time it was an important badge of status. Size was, indeed, everything.

While I'm not sure that I've ever seen a chef's hat with a hundred folds, I am certain that I don't know 100 ways to cook eggs. Even the great Auguste Escoffier in Ma Cuisine lists a mere 78. But I am sure that we are fairly unimaginative in what we do with them. I suppose it's because we think of them simply as a quick and cheap convenience food that we tend to give them scant attention.

I was looking for some options for today and had to chuckle as I typed the word cheap. Why? Because an early recipe which grabbed my attention was for oeufs en meurette. First ingredient, half a bottle of red Burgundy. Add 20 quid to your shopping bill. So we went south of the border. No, not to Spain, but down Mexico way.

Huevos Rancheros simply translates as Rancher's Eggs. It was a hearty breakfast dish served to Mexican farm workers. Perhaps unsurprisingly I have come across numerous variations. At its simplest it would have involved a tortilla filled with refried beans and a fried egg, topped with a spicy salsa known as pico de gallo and possibly cheese. I've had this in Spanish restaurants, simply as a tasty and simple egg dish, and that's the offering today. If, however, you want to go authentic, involve tortillas, black beans, avocadoes and whatever else takes your fancy. The amount of heat is entirely up to you. Unless you know your fellow diners' tastes well I'd be minded to go easy on the chilli in the sauce and have a bottle of Tabasco or other hot sauce on the table for those who want to pep it up. Chilli flakes will work as well as fresh.

You will need a large frying pan, preferably with a lid. Use the freshest eggs you can find.

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves of garlic, crushed; 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips; 1 - 2 fresh red chillies (see above), finely chopped; 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes; squeeze of tomato purée; ½ tsp sugar; 1 bay leaf; sprinkling of oregano (optional); 4 fresh eggs; olive oil; s & p.

To Garnish

Grated cheddar; chopped chives; slices of fresh tomato; chopped chilli (all optional)

*************************************************

Put a generous amount of olive oil in your pan and soften the onions, pepper and chilli along with the garlic and some s & p. Add the tomato purée and stir together for a minute or two. Chuck in the tomatoes and chop them up a bit. Add the bay leaf and oregano if using, together with more black pepper. Allow the mixture to bubble over a medium heat. Check the seasoning - a sauce made with tinned tomatoes will almost always benefit from a little sugar.

Top tip. Have your eggs already cracked and in separate ramekins. This means you will be able to get them in more or less simultaneously, so they'll all be cooked at the same time. When your tomato sauce is nice and thick, make a well for each egg and add them to the pan. Season with s & p. Cover and cook until they're done to your liking, 3 - 4 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese or chives or whatever.

These will be perfectly nice as they are, but feel free to go down the tortilla route. Or follow the suggestion of Dougie Bell of Lupe Pintos fame and give it a Scottish twist with tattie scones and black pudding. A dish of infinite possibilities.

Tom Cooks! will return in two weeks