The Little Foodie: Adobo Chilaquiles

Before you get too ahead of yourself with the name of this recipe, hear me out, because I think cuisines can take divergent paths. Each one caters to a different audience.

The purist, the traditional-food enthusiast, seeks the most authentic version of food. For this kind of cook, the historical context, methods and people are top priorities. The goal is to find “the right way,” and for a traditionalist, this is when food tastes best. I love to study food this way to appreciate and learn about the roots of recipes and cuisines.

The modern enthusiast appreciates the never-been-done-before dish. Some people disdain this kind of cooking, but this level of creativity is beyond me. I appreciate it. I love to watch it. I pay good money for it. This is the kind of cooking that makes me think about food differently.

And then is the cook who loves reinvention and a melding of cuisines. Sometimes this kind of cooking turns out so wrong it should never have been attempted. But sometimes it’s a revelation. Most of my favorite restaurants agree with me. They pay homage to the purist, with a twist of imagination. I like to live here. Routines bore me, and I don’t always have time to plan.

I have a hodgepodge of flavors in my fridge and bits of everything in my cupboard, because I generally cook according to my cravings. I go to the store with a few specifics for my very next meal in mind, as well as the possibility of meals far into the future. One result is the following dish, which was a natural experiment for me.

Chilaquiles are truly the invention of leftover and forgotten ingredients, much the way French toast was created to use old bread. It’s a perfect fit at my house since I crave Mexican foods for breakfast on a regular basis.

I was almost delighted recently when I found that one of my kids had left the tortilla chip bag open. The contents inside had lost their crispness in the Hawaii humidity. So I rummaged through my fridge and found a little bit of salsa, not quite enough for breakfast. The idea of extending it with some adobo sauce — also in the fridge — was a little scary.

Was I going to waste those perfectly good stale chips? Should I just drive to the store for one can of salsa? Believe me, the best way to ruin my day is to have my heart set on a food and then fail in my endeavor.

I took a deep breath and poured the adobo in a hot pan. That unique salty-savory smell that only comes from cooking adobo reassured me that this was a good plan. A great one.

ADOBO CHILAQUILES

• 2 tablespoons avocado or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup adobo sauce
• 4 tablespoons ranchero-style salsa
• 2 cups tortilla chips (can be stale!)
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican or Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper, to taste

>> Optional toppings: avocado, crema, diced onions, lime juice, parsley

In large, heavy-bottomed pan (I prefer cast iron), heat oil on medium-high. When hot, turn heat down to medium and throw in tortilla chips. Cook while stirring until they are toasty, about 1 minute. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Turn up heat slightly and when pan is hot, pour in adobo sauce. It should immediately begin bubbling and cooking off its water. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon as it thickens. (It took about 30 seconds for mine to thicken up.) Add salsa and stir again. Cook 1 to 2 minutes (your kitchen will smell wonderful).

Throw chips into adobo-salsa mixture; stir until thinly coated. Cover the whole mess with cheese, then crack two eggs on top. Salt and pepper the eggs (not too much, it’s already pretty salty), and cover the pan. Turn down heat to medium-low and let sit, undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes or until egg whites are barely set.

Serve immediately with your choice of toppings. Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 470 calories, 35 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 215 mg cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 16 g protein.

Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at thelittlefoodie.com. Her column runs on the last Wednesday of the month. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.