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Huevos rancheros

noun | part of: encyclopedia/cuisine
Pronounced: \wey-vose ran-chair-ohs,we-vaws rahn-che-raws\ | IPA: /ˈweɪ voʊs rænˈtʃɛər oʊs, ˈweβoz rɑnˈtʃɛ rɔs/

Definition of huevos rancheros

Huevos rancheros, literally “rancher’s eggs” in Spanish, is a rural Mexican plate of food consisting of eggs, beans, rice, and papas (potatoes) with tortillas. Avocado/guacamole, and various regional sauces can sometimes be accompaniments as well. Most places with Mexican influence have a version of this dish, it is considered comfort food, and some regions change ingredients or add components to this dish. As with most comfort foods with regional variations, this usually gives an insight into local food traditions.

see also: lexicon/mexican-cuisine
lexicon/new-mexican-cuisine

Examples of huevos rancheros

New Mexico has three variations of this dish, the first two are simply called “huevos rancheros”. The first comes with either red and/or green New Mexico chile, pinto beans, Mexican rice, and diced fried potatos, and New Mexico-style blue corn tortillas. The second type comes with, again, red and/or green New Mexico chile, pintos beans, Spanish rice, hash browns, and New Mexico-style flour tortillas. The third variety is unique to New Mexico, known as enchiladas montadas is both a form of enchiladas chatas combined with huevos rancheros; it features stacked corn tortillas smothered in red and/or green chile sauce with optional meat or pinto beans served with an egg on top, sides accompanying dish are usually papitas (diced potatoes) and sometimes either Spanish or Mexican rice. The rice on all three variations is sometimes not added, as New Mexican cuisine did not always have rice, because rice only flourished along the Rio Grande.

The Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora, and the Sonoran desert in the American state of Arizona have huevos divorciados; a dish usually with chilaquiles or refried beans separating two eggs, one drenched in salsa verde and another in salsa rojo, and rice, papitas, and tortilla optional. The  Yucatan has huevos motuleños, which has eggs on top of corn tortillas, covered in black beans and cheese with salsa picante. Nuevo Leon’s and Tamaulipas’ and the Northern parts of Baja California will sometimes add cheese and tomato, while removing papas. Oaxaca will sometimes have plantains instead of beans, rice, and papas. Texas features a Tex-Mex variety, with sour cream, lettuce, and a choice of corn or flour tortillas. Southern California has a version with wheat tortillas, and corn instead of potatoes.

Origin of huevos rancheros

Originating on ranches and farmhouses in Mexico, there are many styles of huevos rancheros, and each of them is sometimes mixed and matched to better fit chefs and cultural tastes. And, due to this, variants are abundant even within regional variations.


 

First Known Use: 16th century

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