I never met my Grandpa Richard in person. I only ever spoke to him on the phone once before he died, when I was four. My mom grew up without him; we both had just begun to get to know him before he passed away.

I remember being in the kitchen when my mom handed me the phone, something unusual for her to do (I was a toddler). But I put it against my ear and said “Hello.” For the first and last time, I heard my grandfather’s voice. He told me he loved me more than the whole world and that I was precious to him. I giggled because I didn’t know who he was and I never heard a Spanish accent before. My mother took the phone away, with a worried expression.

She knew he was sick.

What he left for us, from the short time we knew him, were a few recipes and stories of our indigenous Yaqui Mexican ancestry, all of which we cherish.

One recipe was a quick and delicious Mexican egg breakfast. Gradually, my mom integrated this recipe into our family lunches and Shabbat, which often consist of bagels, lox, and other Ashkenazi delicacies.

When I combine my family’s recipes into one, I connect with happy memories on both sides. Especially when it comes to my Grandpa Richard, I feel like I’m sharing an experience he had that is more special to me than all the world’s money. I hope you all enjoy this Jewish take on Huevos Rancheros.

Mexican Lox Bagel / Jewish Huevos Rancheros

picture by Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder

Ingredients -this is a family-style recipe, all the amounts are approximate and should be adjusted to suit personal tastes, but we encourage sticking with the process for the best results.

• Bagels (1 per person)
• Eggs (1 per person)
• 1 Tomato or more to taste
• Butter
• Habanero (spicy*) [editor’s note: other spicy pepper can be substituted according to taste]
• Cherry tomato
• Red onion (1 small)
• Lox, [2 slices per person according to taste]
• capers-optional
• 1 Avocado
• 1 Lemon
• Jalapeños (spicy*) [adjust according to taste]
• Several sprigs of cilantro
• 1-2 cloves garlic -finely chopped
• Milk (1 dollop per egg)
• 1 container whipped cream cheese
• Cheddar cheese -grated to taste

Directions

Mexican Lox. Recipe: Rebecca Bartels. photo by Rabbi Ruth Abush-Magder

• Finely dice peppers, red onion, and tomatoes. (Wear gloves to protect your face from the hotness of the pepper!!! This is not a drill!)
• Mix eggs with a teeny dollop of milk and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.
• Peel and mash your avocado into a bowl.
• Lightly fold the diced vegetables into your bowl of avocado into guacamole. Once mixed, sprinkle a bit of lemon juice, cilantro and garlic to taste.
• Let guacamole sit while you heat the skillet to medium-high heat. Add a little butter to the skillet before adding the eggs. Once you add the eggs, cover them immediately with a glass covering that allows a little bit of steam out. Cook eggs to desired consistency. Note: My grandpa would add a couple of drops of water or milk to create extra steam. The eggs cook fast, so be careful to not overcook.
• After the eggs are done, toast the bagels.
• Apply whipped cream cheese onto your bagels and/or your spicy guacamole, then sprinkle on capers, cherry tomato slices. Have your spicy eggs on the side, or place them on top, before finally, top it all with the lox.

Enjoy this great brunch!