Huevos Ahogados

Ingredients

• 6eggscracked individually into small bowls, poached in the salsa
• 5tomatoesplum tomatoes; oven-roasted or briefly boiled, for the salsa
• chilesdepending on source jalapeños or serranos (roasted), chipotles in adobo or dried guajillos (toasted, soaked); amount to desired heat
• 1onionfor the salsa, blended raw or sautéed first
• 3 clovesgarlicpeeled, for the salsa
• 2¾ cupsstockchicken or vegetable stock; thins the salsa into a poaching broth
• 2 tbspoilor lard; for frying the salsa
• 1 tspsaltplus more to taste
• cilantrochopped for garnish; sometimes a few sprigs blended into the salsa
• Queso frescocrumbled for topping; cotija works too
• 9tortillascorn or flour tortillas, warmed for dipping; alternatively tostadas or toast
• refried beansspread on tostadas or in quesadillas as a side (optional)
• ½ tspOreganodried, blended into the salsa (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to about 390 °F and roast the tomatoes along with any fresh chiles, such as jalapeños or serranos, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skins blacken in spots and start to split. If you'd rather use dried guajillos, toast them briefly in a dry pan, then simmer them with the tomatoes for a few minutes so they soften.
2. Put the tomatoes, chiles, white onion and peeled garlic in a blender, along with a few sprigs of cilantro and a little Mexican oregano if you like. Blend into a salsa, chunky or completely smooth, whichever you prefer; the chiles decide the heat, so start cautiously.
3. Heat the oil or lard in a tall, fairly narrow pot. Pour in the salsa, carefully, because it will spatter, and fry it for a few minutes, stirring, until it thickens slightly and darkens.
4. Add the stock and salt, bring everything to a boil, then turn it down to a gentle simmer. Taste the salsa broth and add more salt if it needs it.
5. Crack the eggs one at a time into small bowls. Slide them gently into the simmering salsa one after another so they sit side by side; the narrow pot keeps them well covered by the broth.
6. Poach the eggs for 4 to 6 minutes if you like runny yolks, or a few minutes longer for firm ones. The broth should just barely bubble, never boil hard.
7. Carefully lift the eggs into bowls and ladle plenty of salsa broth over them. Scatter with chopped cilantro and crumbled queso fresco or cotija.
8. Serve the Huevos Ahogados right away with warm corn or flour tortillas, tostadas or toast for dipping.

Tips and variations

For a smoky edge, swap the fresh chiles for chipotles in adobo; for a greener salsa, use roasted jalapeños or serranos, or Hatch chiles if you can get them, and blend in some cilantro sprigs. You can skip the broth altogether: spoon a thick salsa of toasted, soaked guajillo and árbol chiles into a skillet, make little wells, crack in the eggs and cook them covered for 7 to 10 minutes. When you're short on time, store-bought salsa from the fridge does the job, and if you're not cooking vegetarian, fry the salsa in bacon fat. To serve, go huevos rancheros style on tostadas spread with refried beans, or add mini quesadillas filled with refried beans, cheese and pickled jalapeños for dunking.