Beans Rancheros

What do I like to do with eggs? Top them on everything! I realized that when Caroline over at Serious Eats posed the question for this week's Weekend Cook and Tell: Egg-ventures.

Previously, I have topped them on asparagus (Roasted Asparagus and Eggs), baked feta (Poached Eggs with Baked Feta and Olives) and even pepper stew (Tomato-Pepper Stew with Poached Eggs and Harissa). So when I saw Mark Bittman's Beans Rancheros in his new book The Food Matters Cookbook, I knew I'd have to make it.

The presentation of this dish is really great! I love the way the cooked eggs are sitting on top of the beans. I found it relatively easy to divide into four and lift each section out onto a plate by itself (or tupperware for lunch leftovers). I was careful and none of the yolks broke (even when heating up the leftovers). But what is neat is that you just mush the egg up a bit and mix it around on the plate and then you can use it as a filling for tacos. I heated up some corn tortillas and put some of the beans rancheros in there and then topped with a bit of diced onion, shredded cheddar and salsa. Yum! And healthy too.

See other fun things to do with eggs as the Serious Eats Weekend Cook and Tell Roundup: Egg-ventures.

Beans Rancheros Makes 4 servings 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 cups cooked or canned pinto or black beans, drained 1 or 2 canned chipotle chiles, minced, with some of the adobo sauce 1 teaspoon cumin Salt and black pepper 2 or 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped 4 eggs 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for garnish Lime wedges, for serving

Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch square baking dish or oven proof skillet with oil. Add the beans, chipotles and adobo, cumin, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper and roughly mash the mixture with a potato masher or fork. Stir in the tomatoes and transfer the pan to the oven.

Bake until he mixture is hot, bubbly, and some of the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. (The dish can be prepared ahead to this point and refrigerated for up to a day; bring to room temperature before proceeding.)

Make 4 indentations in the beans with the back of a spoon. Crack 1 egg into each hole, sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper, and return the pan to the oven. Bake until the yolks are still jiggly and the whites have turned opaque (or longer if you want the eggs cooked firm), 10 to 20 minutes. Garnish with the scallions and serve with lime wedges.