Tomorrow I'll get back to Frehel, but it's summer! All I can think of it sitting out on the porch with my mother slowly nibbling on food, sipping wine, and listening to music. So I thought I would share with a recipe, which is a staple of Lapin household mainly because all of the ingredients are usually on hand. Also, I have recently discovered this recipe is fairly versatile.

The following recipe is originally based on a recipe from Epicurious. I've altered the recipe to make it lower in fat and tastier.

Mexican Pasta with Black Beans

serves 2 generously

3/4 pound fusilli or other spiral-shaped pasta
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
a 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
a 10-ounce can mild enchilada sauce
a 3-inch hot chili of your choice (you can use pickled jalapenos if fresh aren't available-also chipotle chilis in adobo can be used to give a smokier flavor)
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
freshly grated low fat sharp Cheddar to taste
2 scallions, sliced
cilantro garnish (optional)
Dinner for One

If you are like me, a lonely gal trying to watch your weight, this recipe is very useful. Simply make as much, or as little, pasta as you want and top with as much sauce, cheddar, and scallions as desired. Save the rest of the sauce in a container. Sauce will stay well over one week. In which case the next recipe might come in useful for left over sauce.

Huevos Rancheros

I grew up going to New Mexico every winter to enjoy the gorgeous powder in Taos, New Mexico. Those trips fostered a taste for the local food, particularly Huevos Rancheros, or fried eggs served atop a spicy tomato-ey sauce. While there are more authentic recipes, you can also use the sauce from the Mexican Pasta for Huevos Rancheros.

Prepare the tortillas. Heat the oven to a warm 150°F, place serving plates in the oven to keep warm. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high, coating the pan with the oil. One by one (or more if your pan is big enough) heat the tortillas in the pan, a minute or two on each side, until they are heated through, softened, and pockets of air bubble up inside of them. Then remove them and stack them on one of the warming plates in the oven to keep warm while you continue cooking the rest of the tortillas and the eggs.

1 serving

1/2 cup mexican pasta sauce
1 egg
2 tortillas
1 teaspoon butter
1 dollop low fat sour cream
freshly grated low fat sharp Cheddar to taste
1/2 scallion, sliced
cilantro garnish (optional)

Reheat the Mexican Sauce slowly over low heat. Just before assembling mix in cheese, sour cream, and scallions.

Heat the oven to a warm 150°F, place a serving plate in the oven to keep warm. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high, coating the pan with the oil. Place the tortillas, one at a time, into the skillet. Cook a minute or two on each side, until they are softened, and pockets of air bubble up inside of them. Remove the tortillas and place them on warming plates in the oven to keep warm while you continue cooking the eggs.

Huevos Rancheros is usually served with fried eggs, but I will offer you two options. If you like you like your eggs fried, add a little butter to the skillet you used for the tortillas. Heat the pan on medium high heat. Crack egg into the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes for runny yolks.

But, trying to be a bit more healthy, you can also use poach the egg for a similar effect. (The key is to have a runny yoke to mingle with the sauce.) Fill a sauce pan with water and place over high heat. Once boiling, add a dash of white vinegar. Crack an egg into a cup and slowly slide the egg into the boiling water. If you are concerned about keeping the egg together, you can put the egg in a plastic sandwich baggie before boiling. Just make sure the baggie is sealed. Remove egg between 1-3 minutes. You can plunge the egg into ice water to be sure the egg doesn't continue to cook.

Now you have all the elements for your breakfast. To assemble spoon sauce onto plate and top with the egg, and use the tortillas to sop up runny egg tastiness. Top with cilantro.

OK so these aren't the types of thing I would serve if say Gordon Ramsay were to stumble into my kitchen, but they are tasty. Perfect for a night on the porch sipping the trademark Lapin margaritas or for waiting for an update on my french adventure/soap opera.

Labels: huevos rancheros, mexican pasta, summer recipes