Scrambled Egg Packets with Black Bean Sauce

Huevos Envueltos Bañados en Frijol

Serves 4 Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Rolled tortillas can be made ahead and kept covered in a warm (250°F) oven for up to 2 hours

Tender soft-scrambled eggs get special treatment when slowly cooked with onion and a fresh chile. Wrap them in warm soft corn tortillas, ladle on an earthy black bean sauce, and they’re transformed into a hearty main course.

When we have a group of friends over for a late weekend brunch, I make a double recipe ahead of time and keep it warm in the oven, ready to come out as soon as I hear a knock on the door. In addition to serving it with ripe avocado, Mexican crema, and crumbled cheese, I like to have a side of Fresh Tomatillo and Chipotle Salsa to ladle on top.

• Vegetable oil
• 8 corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade
• 4 cups Simple Beans from the Pot made with black beans and pureed with 1 cup cooking liquid, or two 15.5-ounce cans black beans, drained and pureed with 1½ cups water
• Kosher or coarse sea salt
• ⅓ cup chopped white onion
• 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, halved, seeded if desired, and minced, or to taste
• 8 large eggs, beaten until foamy
• ¼ cup Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or sour cream
• ½ cup crumbled queso fresco, Cotija, farmer cheese, or mild feta
• 1 ripe Hass avocado, halved, pitted, meat scooped out, and sliced (optional)
• Salsa of your choice (optional)

1. Heat ¼ inch of oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. The oil is ready if when you dip the edge of a tortilla in the oil, it bubbles happily around the edges without going wild. Using tongs, dip the tortillas one at a time in the oil for 10 to 15 seconds per side. The tortillas will first appear to soften and then begin to crisp. Drain on paper towels and cover with aluminum foil or an inverted plate to keep warm. Set the pan aside. (Alternatively, you can lightly toast the tortillas on a well-heated comal or skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side.)
2. Heat the bean puree in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until very hot. The puree will have the consistency of heavy cream. Taste for salt, adding more if need be. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and keep warm.
3. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of oil from the pan you used to cook the tortillas if you fried them. If you toasted the tortillas, add 3 tablespoons oil. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and beginning to brown lightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chile and cook until softened, about 2 more minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour in the beaten eggs, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and cook,
4. stirring often and gently, to your desired doneness. I like my eggs still soft, not dry, which takes 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
5. To assemble the packets, place a tortilla on a plate and spoon about 3 tablespoons of the scrambled eggs onto it. Roll it up and place in a serving dish, seam side down. Continue with the remaining tortillas and eggs. When all the tortillas are rolled and in the dish, pour the bean puree on top.
6. Drizzle on the cream, sprinkle the cheese over all, and bring to the table. Serve with the slices of avocado and your favorite salsa, if you’d like.

MEXICAN COOK’S TRICK: To get the fluffiest scrambled eggs, beat them with a fork or whisk until they are a bit foamy, then cook them slowly and gently, stirring, until they’re fluffy and creamy. Don’t let them dry out by overcooking them.

Queso Fresco, literally “fresh cheese”—is a firm, white, moist, slightly tangy, milky-tasting cheese that is teasingly salty. It has a lovely texture: hard enough to cut into cubes or blocks but easily crumbled between your fingers. It’s similar to a mild young feta or farmer cheese, queso blanco, or Cotija, all of which are great substitutions if you can’t find queso fresco.