Huevos rancheros

Ingredients

1 onion- chopped

2 cloves of garlic- crushed

2 red peppers- diced

2 fresh red chillies - chopped

olive oil

1 large dried chilli- chopped

3 fresh bay leaves

2 x 400g tins of quality plum tomatoes

1 teaspoon of sugar

6 large eggs

6 tortillas

Cheddar cheese, to serve or feta cheese

Method

Get a large frying pan (make sure you've got a lid to go with it) on a high heat and add several good lugs of olive oil.

Add the onion, garlic, peppers, fresh and dried chillies, bay leaves and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, and cook for 15 minutes, or until it’s softened and caramelised, stirring regularly.

Pour in the tomatoes, make sure to break them up and add the sugar. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a medium heat and cook for a further 5 minutes to reduce the sauce.

When you’ve got a nice thick tomato stew consistency, taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Use a spoon to make small wells in the tomato stew, then crack in the eggs so they poach in the thick tomato sauce– try to crack them in as quickly as you can so they all get to cook for roughly the same amount of time. Put the lid on and let the eggs cook for around 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.

Warm the tortillas while this is happening. You can pop them into the oven at 180°C/350°F/gas 4 for a few minutes, microwave them for a few seconds or even lay them over the lid of the pan so they heat up as the eggs cook. Serve with sides of grated cheddar cheese or feta.

Eggs en Cocotte

Ingredients

4 servings

Unsalted butter, room temperature (for ramekins)

salt, freshly ground pepper

4 Tbsp finely chopped chives

4 large eggs

4 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)

Warm buttered toast (for serving)

Method

Pour water into a large baking tray to come ½" up the sides; bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Generously grease four ramekins or small heatproof bowls (about 1 tsp. each) with unsalted butter; sprinkle generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Divide 4 Tbsp. finely chopped chives among ramekins. Add one tablespoon of cream to each ramekin.

Crack 1 large egg into each ramekin, then transfer ramekins to bain marie and cover with a lid.

Cook eggs, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until whites are set and yolks are still soft, 4–7 minutes. Using tongs, carefully transfer ramekins to plates.

Serve eggs with warm buttered toast.