MEXICAN BAKED EGGS WITH BLACK BEANS, TOMATOES, CHILLI AND CORIANDER

With the final lot of black beans, found in the black hole back of my kitchen cupboard  a couple of weeks ago, in dire need to be used up, I made some more BLACK BEANS for BLACK BEAN BURRITOS, but was left with a bowl of cooked BLACK BEANS in the end. A Google search on beans and other ingredients in my pantry returned this lovely recipe from Kaylin's Kitchen. Like a Mexican cousin of the Italian 'Uova in Purgatorio' (Eggs in Purgatory) and the Israeli Shakshuka, I liked the look of it. I followed the instructions of the original recipe, but used up some ingredients I already had at home, replacing the small onion with 3 spring onions, the green chillis from a jar with a large fresh red chilli, and freshly cooked BLACK BEANS instead of tinned.

Also, I love the crunch and aroma of toasted cumin, so used cumin seeds instead of ground cumin. The dish needed a little salt and I also added a good pinch of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Although the ingredients picture shows a piece of cheddar, I did actually find (I know all that finding of ingredients in my kitchen must make me sound really weird...) a last piece of Spanish Manchego cheese in the fridge that I grated over the eggs, but I guess Cheddar or other types of hard cheese will be nice too.

The dish is pretty easy to make, but careful with the eggs at the end: my egg whites did not set for a while, and once they did, the yolks were not as runny as I'd hoped for - and the lengthy photo taking at the end did not do them a favour either as they continued to cook. I think it's best to have the tomato-beans as piping hot as possible when spooned into the ramekins so that all is very hot to start with, and before the eggs are added. So... don't overcook the eggs, don't take pictures, and do serve immediately once out of the oven. Yum! :-)

Recipe slightly adapted from: Mexican Baked Eggs with Black Beans, Tomatoes, Green Chiles, and Cilantro, from Kalyn's KITCHEN

Makes 4-6 portions:

1-2 tsp olive oil
1 large red chilli, very finely diced
3 spring onions, cut into small rings, including most of the dark leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1 x 425g small tin diced tomatoes, including juice
Approx. 400g freshly cooked BLACK BEANS (alternatively use 1 tin of black beans, pour them into a sieve, then rinse until no more foam appears; drain well)
salt
Pinch of sugar
4-6 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cup Spanish Manchego cheese, finely grated
Garnish: fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Also: 4-6 ramekins
(The dish can be made in individual small ramekins - add 1 egg each, or medium size ramekins - for 2 eggs each, or a larger oven-proof dish - add 5-6 eggs)

Finely dice the chilli. Cut the spring onions into small rings, including most of the dark green leaves. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small to medium frying pan with deep sides. Add the chopped spring onions and fry gently for a couple of minutes until they start to wilt. Add the cumin seeds and chilli powder and continue to fry for another couple of minutes until the seeds are crispy.

Add the tinned tomatoes, then rinse the tomato tin with a little water and add this also to the pan. Add the cooked BLACK BEANS (alternatively add the tinned, rinsed and drained beans) and the finely diced red chilli to the pan.

Leave to simmer and thicken on medium-low heat for app. 20-30 minutes (covered with a splash guard).

Towards the end of cooking time, start to heat the oven to 230C/210 Fan/450F. Slightly coat individual small ramekins or a larger oven-proof dish with olive oil. Spoon a small amount of the cooked tomato-bean mixture into the bottom of each ramekin, or a larger dish. Carefully break the egg(s) on top, then spoon more mixture around the egg(s) on top of the egg whites, leaving the yolk(s) uncovered. Season the egg yolk with a little salt.

Place the ramekins into the oven and bake for app. 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of dish used), or until the egg whites are starting to look set, and the yolks are still runny. Remove the dishes from the oven and switch the oven to grill function. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.

Grill for 2-3 Minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is nicely browned, but making sure to remove while the egg yolk is still soft. Serve immediately and hot, with a little sour cream and bread on the side.

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MEXICAN BAKED EGGS WITH BLACK BEANS, TOMATOES, CHILLI AND CORIANDER

Makes 4-6 portions:

1-2 tsp olive oil

1 large red chilli, very finely diced

3 spring onions, cut into small rings, including most of the dark leaves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1 x 425g small tin diced tomatoes, including juice

Approx. 400g freshly cooked BLACK BEANS (alternatively use 1 tin of black beans, pour them into a sieve, then rinse until no more foam appears; drain well)

salt

Pinch of sugar

4-6 eggs

1/4 to 1/2 cup Spanish Manchego cheese, finely grated

Garnish: fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Also: 4-6 ramekins

(The dish can be made in individual small ramekins - add 1 egg each, or medium size ramekins - for 2 eggs each, or a larger oven-proof dish - add 5-6 eggs)

1) Cut the vegetables: Finely dice the chilli. Cut the spring onions into small rings, including most of the dark green leaves. 

2) Fry the spring onions, add the spices: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small to medium frying pan with deep sides. Add the chopped spring onions and fry gently for a couple of minutes until they start to wilt. Add the cumin seeds and chilli powder and continue to fry for another couple of minutes until the seeds are crispy.

3) Add the tomatoes and beans and chilli: Add the tinned tomatoes, then rinse the tomato tin with a little water and add this also to the pan. Add the cooked BLACK BEANS (alternatively add the tinned, rinsed and drained beans) and the finely diced red chilli to the pan.

4) Simmer: Leave to simmer and thicken on medium-low heat for app. 20-30 minutes (covered with a splash guard).

5) Pre-heat the oven: Towards the end of cooking time, start to heat the oven to 230C/210 Fan/450F.

6) Prepare the ramekins: Slightly coat individual small ramekins or a larger oven-proof dish with olive oil. 

7) Assemble the ramekins: Spoon a small amount of the cooked tomato-bean mixture into the bottom of each ramekin, or a larger dish. Carefully break the egg(s) on top, then spoon more mixture around the egg(s) on top of the egg whites, leaving the yolk(s) uncovered. Season the egg yolk with a little salt.

8) Bake: Place the ramekins into the oven and bake for app. 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of dish used), or until the egg whites are starting to look set, and the yolks are still runny. 

9) Add cheese and grill: Remove the dishes from the oven and switch the oven to grill function. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Grill for 2-3 Minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is nicely browned, but making sure to remove while the egg yolk is still soft. 

10) Serve: Serve immediately and hot, with a little sour cream and bread on the side.