Chilaquiles are the great Mexican breakfast, and like most great breakfasts they began as a way of using up yesterday's leftovers. Day old corn tortillas are cut into wedges and fried crisp, then tossed in a hot salsa just long enough to soften at the edges while staying crunchy in the middle, and finished with cream, cheese and raw onion. It is the rare dish that is better for being made with tortillas nobody wanted, a piece of thrift every kitchen in the world could learn from.

Every region and every household has an opinion on texture. In central Mexico the chips keep some bite; in Guadalajara they are simmered until soft and spoonable. This is the green version, built on tart tomatillos and serrano chilies, and it is the lazy weekend morning dish of Mexico City. With the Grand Prix usually starting in the early afternoon there, a plate of chilaquiles and a cup of café de olla is precisely how a race day in the capital ought to begin.

Salsa verde

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) tomatillos
• 2 to 3 serrano chilies
• 1/2 white onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro
• 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

Method

1. Put the tomatillos and serranos in the saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Lift the tomatillos and chilies out with the slotted spoon into the blender, leaving the cooking water behind. Add the onion, garlic, cilantro and salt and blend for 1 minute. For milder salsa, start with 2 serranos and add the third only if you want more heat.
3. Heat the oil in the large deep frying pan over medium high heat. Pour in the salsa all at once, standing back as it spits, and stir. Add the stock and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Taste and add salt.

Tortilla chips

Ingredients

• 12 corn tortillas
• about 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) neutral oil for frying
• to taste fine salt

Method

1. Pour the oil into a second large frying pan or a wide saucepan to a depth of about 1/2 inch (1 cm) and heat over medium high heat to 350°F (175°C).
2. Fry the wedges in a single layer, a handful at a time, turning them with the slotted spoon, for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Lift each batch onto the paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt while still hot. Let the oil come back to temperature before the next batch.

Eggs, toppings and assembly

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil or butter
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) Mexican crema
• 4 oz (115 g) queso fresco
• 1/2 white or red onion
• 1 small handful fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 ripe avocado

Method

1. Heat the oil or butter in the nonstick pan over medium heat and fry the eggs for 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks still run. Keep them warm on a plate.
2. Make sure the salsa is bubbling. Turn off the heat, tip in all the chips and fold them through with tongs or two spoons for about 30 seconds, until every chip is coated.
3. Divide between four warm plates straight away. Drizzle with crema, scatter over the queso fresco, onion rings and cilantro, add avocado if you like, and lay a fried egg on each.

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