It's A Wrap! - recipes - Lime Marinated Flank Steak Wrap; Chicken Wrap Sandwich with Lemon Mayonnaise; Chicken Spinach Caesar Wrap; Jerk Pork Wrap; Multibean Wrap With Salsa; Tropical Fruit Dessert Wrap - Chicken Wrap Sandwich with Lemon Mayonnaise - Chicken Spinach Caesar Wrap - Jerk Pork Wrap - Multibean Wrap With Salsa - Tropical Fruit Dessert Wrap

Ebony, May, 1999 by Charlotte Lyons

For those who want to put a bit of a twist on the traditional sliced-bread sandwich, then do what so many other people are doing, and wrap it up. Replace the sliced bread with flour tortillas and create a sandwich wrap that can feature such items as chicken, beef, fish, eggs, beans and salads. You can even enjoy dessert wraps. To get you started, try some of the recipes on the following pages.

Lime Marinated Flank Steak Wrap

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 1 1/2-pound flank steak
  Salt and pepper to taste
12 flour tortillas
  Prepared Salsa
  Prepared guacamole
  Sour cream

Combine the olive oil, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, chili powder, garlic, onion and cilantro. Add the flank steak and toss to coat completely with the marinade. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning meat occasionally. Remove the steak from the marinade. Season with salt and pepper. Heat broiler. Place steak on broiler pan. Broil 5 to 8 minutes on each side for medium doneness. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice the steak against the grain into 1/4-inch thick, diagonal strips. Serve rolled in warm tortillas with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. If desired, garnish with cilantro.

Yields 6 wraps

Chicken Wrap Sandwich with Lemon Mayonnaise

4 whole-wheat or flour tortillas
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
  halves, cooked as desired and cut
  into strips
1 small red or green bell pepper, cut
  into strips
1/2 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
  2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 cup romaine lettuce,
  torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Combine chicken, redpepper, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, basil, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice and garlic until well blended in small bowl. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas, spooning filling into bottom quarter. Fold bottom over flap over filling, then fold two sides in toward center, overlapping slightly to close. Serve with lemon mayonnaise.

Yields 4 wraps

Chicken Spinach Caesar Wrap

1 cup shredded Jarlsberg lite cheese
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
3/4 cup non-fat Caesar salad dressing
4 cups spinach leaves washed and
  dried (about 4 ounces)
4 10-inch flour tortillas

Mix Jarlsberg cheese and chicken in bowl and toss well with dressing; set aside. Arrange 1 cup of spinach leaves on one side of a tortilla. Spoon on 1/4 chicken mixture. Roll up tightly, tucking in ends. Repeat to make 4.

Wrap in microwave-safe paper and refrigerate. Heat in microwave 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until warm. Slice in half.

Yields 4 wraps

Catfish Wrap

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
4 thin slices fresh ginger
1 large clove garlic
1 tablespoon lime juice
  Grated lime rind
  Salt to taste
  Cayenne to taste
4 small, farm-raised catfish fillets
  Thai peanut sauce or Teriyaki
  sauce
4 9- or 10-inch soft flour tortillas
  8 ounces shredded raw carrots
  8 ounces bean sprouts
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil leaves

Combine lemon rind, coconut milk, ginger, lime juice, lime rind, salt and cayenne. Place fillets in shallow dish with marinade, spooning marinade over fillets to coat well. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Place catfish fillets with 2 tablespoons of the marinade in microwave-safe dish. Cover loosely. Microwave at 100 percent power for 5 to 6 minutes, or until just opaque throughout. (The fillets can be broiled or baked.) Let stand until cool. Drain oft any liquid and out the fillets into strips.

Spread one side of each tortilla lightly with sauce of choice. Place catfish strips, carrots and sprouts onto the tortilla. Drizzle 2 tablespoons more sauce over the filling and top with basil. Fold in opposite sides of tortilla one inch over the filling, then roll tip securely. Serve immediately at room temperature, or wrap in plastic, refrigerate and serve chilled.

Yields 4 wraps

Jerk Pork Wrap

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into
   strips
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 fresh scotch bonnets or jalapeno
peppers
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 10-inch soft flour tortillas

Place pork in 1-quart, self-sealing plastic bag. Combine oil, lime juice and vinegar; add sugar, seasoning, onion and garlic. Mix until well blended. Pour over pork. Seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator 8 to 12 hours or overnight. Drain pork; discard marinade and place meat in single layer, not touching, in a shallow baking pan. Roast at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until pork is done. Divide pork strips evenly in center of each tortillas. Roll up tortillas.