Basically, chilaquiles are corn tortilla pieces that are fried, then cooked in salsa, and sprinkled with cheese. For this summertime cookout recipe, we use a Mexican lager and make the salsa as we go, then add eggs.
Active preparation time: 10–12 minutes
Cooking time: 15–20 minutes
Serves: 3–4
2 Tbs (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 Tbs butter
10 corn tortillas, quartered
1 cup red onion, diced
½ cup jalapeños, diced
1 cup peppers in adobo
2 Tbs garlic, chopped
½ can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 cup (237 ml) Mexican lager
12 oz (340 g) can stewed tomatoes
2 eggs
1 cup shredded mixed cheese
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 avocado
To a hot cast-iron pan over an open fire, add the vegetable oil and butter. Once the oil is hot, fry the corn tortillas in small batches until crisp. Use tongs to remove the tortillas and set aside on paper towels to drain. Repeat until all the tortillas are fried and crisp.
Add the onion, jalapeños, adobo peppers, and garlic to the hot oil. Cook until the onion is translucent, then add the corn, beer, and stewed tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Once the sauce has started to simmer, add the crispy tortilla chips, and mix well to coat all the chips. Cook for 5–6 minutes, then push all the chips to the edges of pan, add the eggs and cook to your preferred degree of doneness. Cover the contents of the pan with the shredded cheese, then remove the pan from the heat. Garnish with the cilantro and avocado.
Beer Suggestions: Ska Brewing Mexican Logger (Durango, Colorado), 21st Amendment El Sully (San Francisco, California), Melvin Hey Zeus (Alpine, Wyoming).
PHOTO: MATT GRAVES