enigma57 said

Sorry, Barbee. Down here in Texas we are used to referring to so many things by their Spanish names I forget that everyone else doesn't necessarily do that.

Huevos rancheros just means 'rancher's eggs'......



These are usually 2 (I like 3) fried eggs cooked 'over easy' and smothered in red salsa. If you get them at a restaurant or diner, the eggs are usually served on top of a corn tortilla and then the salsa is spread over the eggs. When I make them at home, I don't put a tortilla under the eggs. I just warm up 6 or 7 corn tortillas and use them as eating utensils after cutting up the eggs and mixing them with whatever I have fixed as a side dish. They are usually served with refried beans and Spanish rice on the side. But you can use black beans or potatoes as well. I like potatoes with mine. Some folks have chorizo (a Mexican sausage) or bacon strips with them. I don't eat pork, so I pass on that.

Fajitas are made from grilled skirt steak......



I specified 'beef fajitas' because some folks cook and serve chicken in much the same way and call it fajitas. You can also use other cuts of steak, but skirt steak is the 'real deal'. Here is a basic fajita recipe......

http://homecooking.about.com/od/beefrecipes/r/blbeef11.htm

Pretty much the way we fix them here at home except that if you begin with a good cut of steak, you only need to marinade the meat in lime juice for 20 or 30 minutes priour to seasoning and grilling.

Once cooked, you just roll the meat strips in a tortilla along with whatever else you want to add and chow down. As with any soft taco or burrito, fold it like a baby diaper on the ends before rolling and your fillings won't fall out when you pick it up and bite into it.

Most folks around here use the large burrito sized flour tortillas for fajitas. I prefer white corn tortillas for the flavour, texture and nutritional value.



Guess I better translate that a bit......

Nopales are strips cut from the tender spineless parts of a prickly pear cactus. You can get them canned or pickled in a jar, but they are best when fresh cut and soaked in water until cooked. You want to cut and slice them so they are about the size and thickness of French cut green beans.

Cebolla dulce are sweet onions. I dice them coarsely before folding them into the eggs.

Cilantro looks a lot like Italian parsley, but has an entirely different flavour. Just rinse it well before using and pull the small leaves off the stems before cooking with it or using it as a garnish.

Tortillas de maís are tortillas of corn.

I generally fold both the tender cactus strips and the onions into the eggs before scrambling. And add a pinch of cilantro to them about 30 seconds before they are done cooking.

The corn tortillas, I heat directly on the burner of a gas stove over a very small flame just before laying them on a plate and rolling the eggs into them. You could probably do the same thing with a spatula and lightly oiled pre-heated cast-iron skillet, but I was taught to do it on the gas burner. You have to lick your fingers and be careful when flipping the tortillas (both sides must be cooked) or when taking them off the burner when doing it that way so you don't burn your fingers. Takes a little practice.

Hope that helps,

Harry

Click to expand...