Huevos Rancheros Big Daddy

I was recently recalling the days many years ago when our good friends from Colorado Springs, Mary and Yates, would invite us over for breakfast and serve the most wonderful Huevos Rancheros (which translated means "ranch  eggs").  A terrific diversion from ordinary breakfast fare this would typically be served with spicy frijoles (refried beans) and fresh fruit.  The frijoles substituted for traditional potatoes or grits and the fresh fruit was a wonderful closer following the spicier main course.  This recipe calls for a rather traditional sauce but for a bolder flavor consider my Enchilada Chile Sauce.

This is my interpretation which starts with quesadillas as the base instead of a single tortilla.  Serves 4 with a side dish.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

Cook the bacon (in a sauté pan large enough to hold all the sauce ingredients) until crispy and remove to paper towels to drain.  Drain bacon grease from pan and reserve leaving 2-3 tablespoons. Reheat the bacon grease over medium heat and add the onion and chile and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute.  Add all remaining sauce ingredients and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Finish by adjusting for salt and pepper and splashing on the lime juice.  Process in a blender so that it is still slightly chunky.  I strongly recommend this sauce be made in advance and allowed to cool in fridge overnight before using.  This gives the flavors a chance to blend.

Make 4 quesadillas by spreading a couple of tablespoons sauce (either the Ranchero or the Enchilada) on each of four tortillas.  Sprinkle some shredded cheese over the sauce, crumble ¼ of the bacon over the cheese, top with remaining tortillas and spread them out on a baking sheet.  Place the quesadillas in the oven.

While the quesadillas are in the oven prepare the eggs using the reserved bacon grease; they may be fried (traditional), scrambled of poached.  When the cheese has melted remove the quesadillas from the oven.  Spread another tablespoon of sauce on each quesadilla.  Then place a fried or poached egg, or some scrambled egg, on top of that.  Top with more shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons of  chopped olive, 2 tablespoons chopped scallions and return to oven for 1-2 minutes until cheese has melted.

Serve with sour cream and extra sauce on the side.