Traditional Madrid dishes VII: huevos estrellados

If you visit Madrid and you don’t try the huevos estrellados – eggs fried sunny-side up — it’s like leaving without visiting the Prado Museum, spending a relaxing afternoon in El Retiro Park or taking a photo in the Puerta del Sol. To get the full Madrid experience you must order this simple dish which is very typical in Madrid.

Many bars and restaurants around the city serve it. They are usually standard fare at any establishment worth its salt, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding a place that will prepare them for you. Huevos estrellados, which are also known as huevos rotos (broken eggs), are the basic element of a dish that is very affordable and easy to prepare.

One of Madrid’s gastronomic delights

It basically consists of frying the eggs while leaving the yolk runny, so that it drizzles over and saturates the French fries and the meat they are usually served with— anything from chorizo, to ham, to chistorra sausage to bacon. The result is a delicacy which will have you licking your fingers.

This dish originates in part from the Canary Islands and, in fact, in Teror, Gran Canaria, it is tradition to prepare this dish to celebrate the Día del Pino in honor of the island’s patron saint.

Huevos estrellados are part of Madrid’s traditional cuisine, just like other dishes such as pan-fried pig’s ear, Madrid-style beef tripe, cocido madrileño — Madrid’s renown stew — and gallinejas — Lamb tripe, a dish served almost exclusively in Madrid — and the famous squid sandwich served on a baguette.

The key is to fry the potatoes at a very low heat, so they don’t burn or become tough, but rather stay soft and juicy. Another secret is to watch the eggs carefully. This way the yolk does not become overcooked and dry. This is important since the best part of this Madrid delicacy is that when you break the yolk it runs all over the potatoes.

Image: Tamorlan

Categories: Gastronomía