Huevos Rancheros

A camp-style scramble rather than the plated Mexican dish of the same name: eggs cooked into bacon and onion, finished with tomato. It comes together in one skillet in under fifteen minutes.

• Bacon quantityThe bacon measure has lost its fraction and reads as "34 pound." Three-quarters of a pound for six eggs is generous but plausible for a camp breakfast; half a pound is ample if you want the eggs to remain the main event.
• Tomato paste versus sauceThe recipe offers either, and they behave very differently now. A can of modern tomato paste is 6 oz and intensely concentrated; use half of it, or substitute an 8 oz can of tomato sauce, or the eggs will turn dense and acidic.
• Pour off the fat, and mean itPour off the fat -- Three-quarters of a pound of bacon renders a great deal of grease. The recipe says to pour off half; in practice you may want to go further and leave only enough to coat the pan, or the eggs will fry rather than scramble.
• Add tomato at the endThis is the hinge. Tomato going in early will keep the eggs from setting and thin them into a sauce; fold it in when the curds are just short of done and take the pan off the heat.
• Cook the onion firstGive the onion time -- Bacon crisps faster than onion softens. The recipe fries them together; start the bacon, add the onion once some fat has rendered, and give it five to seven minutes over medium heat before the eggs go in.
• Egg donenessCook to soft, glossy curds. Eggs held in a hot heavy skillet keep cooking after it leaves the fire, so pull them earlier than looks right.
• YieldSix eggs with this much bacon serves three generously, or four with plenty of toast.