Bought my first Mexican cookbook in 1984 in a shopping precinct in Shepherds Bush that don’t exist any more. Around then there were a few approximate Mexican restaurants and a couple of TexMex places in London one of which, off the top of Charing Cross Road, was called “Borderline” or “Break for the Border” – something like that. Anyway, they did a lunchtime Huevos Rancheros with Bacon! When I got over my intial shock I realised this was a very good brunch dish. Can’t remember if I further bastardised it by adding hash browns on the side or if the Border people did it for me but this became part of our repertoire – 2 wheat tortillas (soft or fried) covered with enchilada sauce, 2 rashers of bacon, 2 fried eggs + the hash browns, sometimes with added morcilla. Don’t tell me this is wrong – I already know it is.
Then there was this sort of up-market fast food restaurant in Bath called Firehouse Rotisserie with strong South Western USA leanings. Another eye-opener was a pizza they which they called something like Pollo Baja California which had enchilada sauce, jalepenos, chicken, cheese, guacamole, soured cream. Wonderful.
Today I though I would demolish and reconstruct some of the elements of both.
Pizza base + plus fairly chunky enchilada sauce baked for 10 minutes. Layer of grated cheese, prebaked bacon rashers and sliced red peppers. Back in the oven for 8ish minutes. “Decorated” with guacamole and soured cream. Fried egg on top …
(Sneaked slices of fresh jalepenos on mine)
The PArtisan Baker 