Love & Saffron | Huevos Rancheros
Written as letters between two women who quickly become faithful friends, Love and Saffron packs an emotional punch in less than 200 pages. Set in the 1960’s, Love and Saffron feels as though you are snooping in on a real friendship as it develops from a shared interest in food, to a deep and heartfelt connection. When I say that I was sobbing at the end, I mean it quite literally.
Kim Fay does a remarkable job of not only creating realistic characters but of making you feel that you are alongside them as they inspire each other to discover new foods and cultures, and navigate everyday life. The two characters have completely different lives and are very different ages but they create a sisterhood. This book made me realize, once again, what a big impact food has on our memories and experiences. How important it is to have friends from all walks of life to help you grow, push your boundaries and expand your world view. How lucky we are to have so many ingredients and cultural dishes so readily available to us. And that it’s never too late to improve yourself and fulfill your dreams.
This book will make you hungry, yes for food, but also for a life well lived, nourishing friendships, and to be present enough to soak up all the little moments. It made me quite nostalgic and will stick with me for a long time.
“I would rather live in a land of enchiladas over meat loaf any day.”
I couldn’t agree more. As the character says again later in the book, “If I could only eat one type of food, I would be happy to confine myself to that of Mexico.”
In honour of the many Mexican recipes in the book I couldn’t resist creating my own, shared through text as in the book. ☺️
Huevos Rancheros
Huevos Rancheros means ranchers eggs, or a better translation might be “country-style eggs”. While these are traditionally a breakfast staple, we like to serve them for lunch or dinner as well. If serving to guests, the sauce and beans can be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve.
Start by making the ranchero sauce, which is basically a warm salsa. Add 1 tin (398ml) of fire roasted tomatoes, 1 small onion, 1 jalapeño (seeded if you like it less spicy), and one handful of fresh cilantro to a blender. Blend until smooth or the texture of your liking. Put in a small saucepan and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set aside 1/4 cup of the salsa for the refried beans. Bring the remainder to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the warm ranchero sauce and salt to taste, before serving.
For the refried beans, add a 398ml can of black beans, rinsed and drained, to a small bit of oil in a pan set over medium heat. Add the reserved salsa as well as 3 minced garlic cloves and one minced chipotle in adobo (you can substitute this with a bit of hot sauce if you like). Add a splash of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mash with a potato masher, until it is warmed through, adding additional water until it is the consistency you like.
When ready to serve, in a frying pan add a bit of oil over medium heat and cook small corn tortillas for a couple of minutes on each side, until brown. They will still seem a bit floppy but will firm up as they cool.
To serve, spread a bit of the refried beans onto a crisp tortilla, top with a sunny-side up egg, a good spoonful of ranchero sauce, and garnish with sliced avocado, cilantro, cotija cheese (or feta, if it’s not available to you), and a drizzle of hot sauce, if you like. This should make enough for about 6 servings.
Hi I’m Cheri, I’ve been staying up too late reading since I was a kid hiding under the covers with a flashlight.