Muffin Tinned Huevos Rancheros Recipe

This Mexican dish from chef Anna Barnett’s debut cookery book Eat the Week is a spicy alternative to baked eggs, thanks to a sprinkling of paprika and a few jalapenos on top. The different elements can be prepared in advance.

MUFFIN TINNED HUEVOS RANCHEROS

Serves 6

Smoky Tomatoes

Gruyere Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. For the smoky tomatoes, place all the ingredients in a pan and season with salt and pepper. Leave to cook over medium heat while you make the gruyere sauce.

3. To make the gruyere sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium–low heat, then whisk in the mustard and flour and keep stirring until it forms a paste. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, until you have a thick sauce. Add the cheese, season with salt and pepper and keep stirring until the cheese melts to make a smooth, lump-free sauce.

4. Take a six-hole 250 ml non-stick muffin tin and press half a tortilla into each hole. Bake in the oven for about 3 minutes, then add a spoonful of the smoky tomatoes, followed by a dollop of cheesy sauce and an egg yolk, plus a little of the egg white, being careful that it doesn't spill over the sides. Bake for 5–10 minutes until the tortillas start to crisp but the egg yolks are still runny.

5. Garnish with lamb's lettuce, a few dots of feta and sour cream, a sprinkling of paprika and some slices of jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper, then serve immediately.

TIP: Add the egg yolk first, then just a little of the white, so it won’t spill over the sides in the oven. • This is an edited extract from Eat the Week by Anna Barnett, $49.99, published by Murdoch Books.