chilaquiles with eggs and chorizo

Is saving money on groceries one of your resolutions for 2012? If it is, and if you like Tex-Mex food and making wise use of leftovers, then chilaquiles might just be the dish for you. This will definitely become a regular player in the Lonesome Road dinner (or lunch, brunch, or breakfast!) rotation.

Because of the dish's appearance, chilaquiles are also nicknamed "broken old sombreros." Basically, soft corn tortillas are torn up and quickly fried until somewhat chewy (not crispy like chips) and layered with anything from eggs to leftover chicken, chorizo or beans, vegetables, salsa, and cheese. Chilaquiles are versatile in that they can be a total gourmet experience, or they can be a quick and easy way to deliciously use up some leftover ingredients.

For the chilaquiles pictured above, I first browned and drained 1/2 pound of chorizo and set it aside. Next I tore eight soft corn tortillas into quarters and fried them in a bit of corn oil. While frying the tortillas, I created a quick sauce with a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce, 3 teaspoons chili powder, 2 small cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Unfortunately I didn't have fresh tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes on hand; either would have made a fantastic fresh salsa for this dish. Salt to taste but be cautious when using chorizo, it is salty enough on its own.

When the tortillas were of the correct chewy consistency, I added five beaten eggs to the skillet with the fried tortillas and cooked over medium-low heat until they were cooked through. I then layered the tortillas and eggs into an 8 inch by 8 inch glass baking dish (while preheating the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit).

Top with crumbled cooked chorizo, sauce, and cheese of choice. I used a bit of Cheddar-Jack plus freshly grated Iberico cheese, just enough to cover the top of the layers - perfect!

Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, uncovered, until sauce is bubbly, about 20 minutes.

I love these served with sliced avocado but anything fresh and seasonal would be wonderful: salsa, lime slices, onion, fresh chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeno slices, tomatoes... imagine the possibilities!

Makes four servings.