TACOS DE HUEVO SOFT-BOILED EGG TACOS

At Tacos Cala, we make a big batch of soft-boiled eggs right before lunch. We peel them and keep them in the same pot of hot water they boiled in, so that they’re still warm, for up to 2 hours, for serving on tacos. You can do the same if you’re making these tacos for a brunch. Also, it’s likely that people will want a second taco, so this will keep their second egg from getting cold while they’re eating the fi rst. What follows is the most basic recipe for the plainest taco on my menu. Even though I’ve had it a million times, it’s still one that I’m drawn to regularly. The soft-boiled yolk merges so well with the salsa, combining to form a rich and tangy sauce that seeps down into the rice and beans. Plain or not, it competes with any guisado. I recommend using two salsas, each one a different color. You need hot tortillas, rice, beans, and eggs. Each of these parts must be warm when you’re ready to assemble and serve the tacos. Ideally, you’ll have made the salsas and beans a day ahead; warm them over medium-low heat while you prepare the rest. Cook the rice and then put a pot of water on to soft-boil the eggs while the rice is steaming. Then you can either make or reheat your tortillas, so they’re hot and fresh when you and your family or friends are ready to put together the tacos.

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Step 1

Bring a pot of water to a boil and then add the eggs, one at a time, gently lowering them into the water with a spoon. (To be sure your eggs don’t crack, use Jacques Pépin’s trick of poking a tiny hole with a needle in the rounder end of each shell.) Set a timer and let the eggs boil for 1 minute. Then put a lid on the pot, turn off the stove, and let them sit in the hot water for 7 minutes more. Meanwhile, prepare a big bowl of ice water. Remove the eggs from the hot water with a slotted spoon, reserving the hot water in its pot, and transfer the eggs to the ice water for 1 minute. This keeps the shells from sticking. Peel the eggs and place them back in the hot water until ready to serve, or for as long as 2 hours.

Step 2

Spread a generous 1 Tbsp of rice across a tortilla, patting it down and leaving a border of ⅜ inch / 1cm at the edge. Top with 1 Tbsp of beans, strained from their cooking broth. Slice a soft-boiled egg in half lengthwise and place both halves cut-side up over the beans.

Step 3

Finish with a pinch of salt and fold the tortilla to close. Repeat to fi ll the remaining tortillas. Pass the salsa at the table for people to spoon into their own tacos. Minimalism at its most delicious.