There is nothing quite as perfect as a salsa fresca made with summertime ripe and bountiful tomatoes, fresh tomatoes bursting with flavor and variety, no uniformly red hot house fruit but the variety and zip that only something fresh and local has to offer. Now is the time for this summertime chilaquiles recipe made with fresh salsa, salsa made your way, salsa that tastes more like sun than tin and a generous pile of fresh diced tomatoes to remind you what lies beneath.
Summertime Chilaquiles- recipe with fresh tomatoes
A dish that originated as a way to use up leftover tortillas and salsa is best made with leftover chips and salsa, we’ve just flipped the order here a bit, making enough salsa that there will be leftover so you can eat it with chips so there will be leftovers and the chilaquiles infinity wheel can continue until the tomatoes get mealy and the nights turn cold.
I’ve included my basic formula for a quick fresh salsa made with both tomatillo and tomato but use what you have. Your garden (if you’re lucky) your rules. Know that in this salsa the tomatoes are the liquid but if you use more tomatillo or less ripe tomatoes you might have to add just a splash of water (or lager or broth).
Just looking for salsa? Here’s my post about that.
even more thoughts about summertime chilaquiles with fresh tomatoes (and tomatillos, and corn, and peppers!)
lets talk peppers
- peppers vary in heat and you have some control by varying the amount of seeds or pith you add. I usually like to use a jalapeño or poblano with most of the seeds and pith removed
cheese, cheese, cheese
- The batches pictured were made with cheddar cheese because I like that better with a fried egg.
- When I scramble I like to add the crumbled cheese at the very end.
- For crema I usually use a combination of labneh and yogurt with just a splash of lime and chile powder, I like something I can drizzle rather than plop.
Summertime Chilaquiles with fresh tomatoes
Ingredients
fresh salsa (makes way more than the 1/2 cup needed for the chilaquiles
- two tomatoes whole
- six tomatillos peeled and washed
- 1 hot pepper of choice
- 1/4 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/2-1 tsp cumin
- 1/2-1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- cilantro optional
- corn optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- lime juice and/or apple cider vinegar to taste
the chilaquiles
- 1/2-3/4 cup cup fresh salsa
- another 1/2- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- two heaping handfuls of corn chips or six corn tortillas cut into wedges and pan fried or baked until just crisp
- 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese or crumbled queso fresco or feta
- 1/4 cup fresh diced tomatoes
- 2 eggs
garnishes
- creme fraiche
- cilantro
- diced red onion
- avocado
Instructions
salsa fresca
- to make the salsa put tomatoes, tomatillos, pepper, onion, and garlic cloves in a heavy pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat, cover and turn until the skins of everything begin to blacken. Remove from heat and cover to cool slightly. combine with all remaining ingredients (except corn, if using) in the bowl of a food processor and process until mostly smooth adding the to taste items at the end a pinch or half teaspoon at a time until desired flavor is reached. add corn and combine
the tortillas
- if you are using tortillas now is the time to fry them up. lightly toss with oil and toss in a preheated 12-14 inch pan and toss until just beginning to brown, curl, and crisp. set aside. Alternately you can bake them at 400 for about ten minutes but since this is a summer time recipe I usually pan fry or use up the left over corn chips from last weekend’s barbecue
the chilaquiles
- lightly coat a large frying pan with oil and add the salsa fresca simmer over medium heat for about ten minutes to slightly thicken, remove all but 1/2 to 3/4 cup of salsa. Put the extra salsa in a mason jar and refrigerate until ready to use- it should last a week or more.
- add the tortillas to the pan with salsa and toss until the tortillas are soft and coated with the sauce (this usually takes a bit longer with corn chips) Top with the fresh diced tomatoes and cheese of choice, cover and set aside.
- Cook the eggs how you want ‘em
- Divy up the tortillas on to two plates, add your egg, garnish with all the good things.
- Eat.
- Use the rest of the salsa at next week’s barbecue and repeat.
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