News
ENLARGE
The not-so-secret secret to good huevos rancheros is the sauce. Don't even think about opening a can.
“We make the sauce here,” said John Calloway, Richard Sandoval's corporate chef, who is based at Cima in Avon. “We use fresh tomatoes and one of the things that gives the whole dish its flavor is the chile we use for the sauce. It's a chile pasilla from Oaxaca, Mexico. It has a nice smokiness and a touch of spice, but not too much.”
The dried chiles are often used in mole negro, but Calloway uses it to make enchilada sauce for the restaurant's huevos rancheros, which will be served at the First Tracks Breakfast at Sprice Saddle Lodge on Saturday, part of Beaver Creek's Food & Wine Festival.
The corn tortillas come from Tortilleria Salazar in Rifle, and Cima chefs flash fry them to make chips, which are then used in the huevos dish.
“We combine the chips with black beans and the sauce, then it gets baked in the oven with an egg on top,” Calloway said. “The chips get soft, but stay a little crunchy.”
If you're unable to make the First Tracks Breakfast tomorrow in Beaver Creek, you can still try the huevos. Either make them yourself, with the recipe shown here, or order them at Cima, where they're served on the Sunday Latin Brunch Buffet, available from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday.
“We make the sauce here,” said John Calloway, Richard Sandoval's corporate chef, who is based at Cima in Avon. “We use fresh tomatoes and one of the things that gives the whole dish its flavor is the chile we use for the sauce. It's a chile pasilla from Oaxaca, Mexico. It has a nice smokiness and a touch of spice, but not too much.”
The dried chiles are often used in mole negro, but Calloway uses it to make enchilada sauce for the restaurant's huevos rancheros, which will be served at the First Tracks Breakfast at Sprice Saddle Lodge on Saturday, part of Beaver Creek's Food & Wine Festival.
The corn tortillas come from Tortilleria Salazar in Rifle, and Cima chefs flash fry them to make chips, which are then used in the huevos dish.
“We combine the chips with black beans and the sauce, then it gets baked in the oven with an egg on top,” Calloway said. “The chips get soft, but stay a little crunchy.”
If you're unable to make the First Tracks Breakfast tomorrow in Beaver Creek, you can still try the huevos. Either make them yourself, with the recipe shown here, or order them at Cima, where they're served on the Sunday Latin Brunch Buffet, available from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday.
Huevos rancheros
4 corn tortillas
1/2 cup salsa rojo (or enchilada sauce, recipe follows) 1/2 cup black beans 1/4 cup queso fresco 1/4 cup shredded white cheddar 4 eggs 1/2 cup chunky salsa (recipe follows) 1/4 cup guacamole 1/4 cup sour cream Flash fry the tortillas in hot oil till just crisp. Set two on each serving plate. Top with black beans and enchilada sauce. Combine queso fresco and white cheddar and layer on top. Place under the broiler till cheese melts and starts to brown. Fry eggs to desired doneness and place on top. Garnish with chunky salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. Serve at once. Serves 2. (Can be easily multiplied for more servings.) Chunky salsa 2 cups roma tomatoes, chopped 1/4 cup onion, chopped 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped 1 fresh Anaheim chile, roasted, peeled and chopped 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 1 clove garlic, chopped Juice from 1 fresh lime Chopped cilantro to taste salt and pepper to taste Mix all ingredients. Allow flavors to meld for one hour before serving. Makes 3 cups. Salsa roja 3 tablespoons olive oile 1/4 cup onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 serrano or jalapeño chile pepper, chopped 2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 2 teaspoons dried oregano Salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional) Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and chile and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and mixture is fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Puree in a blender until smooth, adding a little water if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir in cilantro if using and serve. Makes 2 cups. |
Tacos done low and slow
Long before Sandoval owned Cima in Avon, he attended Beaver Creek's culinary festival, back when it was a Bon Appetit event, as a celebrity chef and brought Calloway, his right-hand man. It was during those festivals that Sandoval got the idea of opening a restaurant here.“It's great exposure,” Calloway said about the festival. “It's great to get out and talk to people that come to the event and have an interest in food, and the different things chefs do.”
Along with the breakfast event, Calloway and Sandoval are participating in today's “Apres-Ski Burgers and Beers” event at 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill deck in Beaver Creek and Saturday night's grand tasting. For the apres event this afternoon, Calloway is serving up a slider burger, made with fresh-ground beef and served in a flour tortilla instead of a bun. At the grand tasting, they'll be doling out Berkshire pork belly tacos al pastor.
“Al pastor is a traditional Mexican taco with the al pastor flavor profiles — anchiote dried chiles, orange and some spices,” Calloway said. “We use all natural and organic Berkshire pork belly from Idaho, marinate it for 24 hours, then slow cook it for 24 hours so it's real tender and flavorful.”
Low and slow is the key, of course, which is why the oven doesn't go above 150 degrees while cooking the pork, Calloway said.
“That's what makes the best flavor,” he said.
High Life Editor Caramie Schnell can be reached at 970-748-2984 or cschnell@vaildaily.com.
