Huevos Tirados

　　One of Gran Café de la Parroquia's specialties is this unique omelet, made with black beans and served inside out. Make the omelets one at a time and serve them immediately (they will dry out and lose their tenderness if you try to keep them warm in the oven). If you don't have time to prepare dried beans, canned will do just fine (see the cooks' notes for black beans, this page).

　　Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes cooking dried beans)

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　

For sauce

2 tablespoons lard or olive oil

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　3 tablespoons minced fresh chiles (1 to 2), including seeds

　　1 3/4 lb tomatoes, peeled (see cooks' note, below) and coarsely chopped (4 cups)

　　

For omelets

12 large eggs

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　4 tablespoons lard or olive oil

　　1 1/3 cups coarsely mashed cooked black beans

　　

Make sauce:

Step 1

Heat lard in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic and chiles, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and simmer, stirring frequently, until most of liquid is evaporated and tomatoes have broken down to form a sauce, about 15 minutes. Cool sauce, then stir in salt to taste.

　　

Cook first omelet:

Step 2

Whisk together 3 eggs and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until blended. Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a 6- to 7-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and add eggs. As eggs set around edge of skillet, pull cooked portions toward center using a heatproof spatula, letting raw egg flow around and underneath. Repeat until eggs are partially set, about 2 minutes, then spread 1/3 cup black beans evenly over eggs. Shake skillet to loosen omelet and slide out onto a plate, then invert skillet over plate and, wearing oven mitts, hold plate against skillet and reinvert omelet into skillet. Cook 1 minute more, then with spatula lift edge of omelet opposite handle and fold it toward center. Tilt side of skillet opposite handle downward and roll omelet over itself onto a plate. Spoon some of sauce over omelet and serve. Make 3 more omelets in same manner.

　　Cooks' note:

　　• To peel fresh tomatoes, first cut an X in the end opposite the stem and immerse in boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of ice water and then peel.