It's a Wrap

Burritos, the quintessential Mexican fast food always make dinner time exciting with an array of fillings to pick and choose from. Not to be confused with a taco, a Burrito is made with a large flour tortilla filled with rice, beans, shredded lettuce, chicken/beef, salsa, sour cream, grilled corn, sauteed onion, red peppers, grilled jalapenos and much more. To change it up, I sometimes use grilled shrimp, a cilantro pesto, Cotija cheese and pinto beans. What you put in it can be entirely based on personal preferences, which makes it versatile and fun. It's a great way to feed large groups of people- everybody makes their own so you can't go wrong. Sides of guacamole, sour cream and hot sauce keep it interesting. Unlike other fast food this one can be tailored and made healthy- lots of different beans and veggies hide well inside the big wrap.

The list of ingredients may seem deceptively long but don't let that be a turn-off. It's really not that complicated and the end results pretty delicioso!

My recipe for Burritos:

4-6 large flour tortillas

1 cup white or brown rice
2 tsp oil
1 small onion sliced
1 tsp salt
2 cups chicken stock

1 can black or pinto beans
1 Chipotle pepper
½ cup Chicken stock
2 cloves garlic
Salt to taste

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken or leftover roast beef
Grilled corn, sautéed onions and red peppers, shredded iceberg lettuce,
Sour cream or cheese (crumbled or shredded)
Salsa *
Guacamole**

1. Heat the oil in a pan and saute the onion. Add in the rice and saute briefly. Heat the chicken stock and cook the rice on a simmer until done.

2. Cook the beans in a pan over low heat with the minced garlic, chopped Chipotle pepper and hot chicken stock till the mixture is homogenous.

3. Heat each tortilla over an open flame just until it is soft and pliable. Place the fillings down the centre in a line starting with the rice, beans and protein followed by the rest. Wrap by closing two opposite ends and gently pulling and overlapping the other two ends into a tight package.

*Salsa- chopped tomatoes, onion, lime juice, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, honey and salt.

**Guacamole- mashed avocado, cilantro, tomato, diced onion, jalapeno, salt and lime juice.