Three bodacious make-at-home burritos - recipes

Sunset, May, 1996

Makes: 6 burritos

1 teaspoon salad oil 1 cup chopped yellow onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2/3 cup ground New Mexico or California chilies 1 1/2 cups chicken broth Salt 1 1/2 pounds thin-skinned potatoes 3/4 pound chorizo or 10 slices bacon 6 flour tortillas (10 in. wide) Pepper 8 large eggs 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1/2 cup reduced-fat or regular sour cream (optional) 1/3 cup sliced green onions

1. Red chile. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart pan over medium heat, frequently stir oil, yellow onion, and garlic until onion is limp, 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and ground chilies; stir for 1 1/2 minutes to toast. Add broth and 1 1/2 cups water and stir until sauce is smooth and bubbling, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Set aside, and keep warm. If making ahead, chill airtight up to 2 days; reheat to use.

2. Fillings and tortillas. Peel potatoes, halve lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Place in a 2- to 3-quart pan with water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender when pierced, about 6 minutes. Drain.

3. Meanwhile, remove casings from chorizo and crumble into a 10- to 12-inch non-stick frying pan (for bacon, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces). Over medium-high heat, stir often until meat is brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, lift meat to towels; drain fat from pan, reserving 3 tablespoons. (If chorizo is very finely crumbled, drain fat through a strainer.) If necessary, add salad oil to equal 3 tablespoons.

4. Seal tortillas in foil and warm in a 350 [degrees] oven until hot, about 10 minutes.

5. Return 2 tablespoons reserved fat to frying pan. Over medium-high heat, add potatoes and turn occasionally until well browned, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from pan, and keep warm.

6. In a bowl, beat eggs to blend. Coat pan with remaining 1 tablespoon fat. Add eggs; stir over medium heat until softly set, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Assembly. Lay tortillas flat. Toward 1 edge of each, fill equally with potatoes, eggs, and chorizo. Fold over sides and roll up tightly to enclose. Place each on a rimmed ovenproof plate or in a ramekin, and ladle chile on top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in a 350 [degrees] oven just until cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, put sour cream in a small, unpleated, heavy-duty plastic bag. Seal, then snip off a small corner of bag. Squeeze squiggles of sour cream over hot burritos. Sprinkle with green onions.

Per burrito: 618 cal., 44% (270 cal.) from fat; 26 g protein; 30 g fat (10 g sat.); 62 g carbo.; 926 mg sodium; 317 mg chol.

Chicken-Goat Cheese Burritos

Cooking time: About 15 minutes

Prep time: About 15 minutes

Notes: To trim about 600 mg of sodium per serving, use a low-sodium salsa.

Makes: 4 burritos

1 pound boned, skinned chicken breast 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon each salt (optional) and pepper 4 reduced-fat or other flour tortillas (10 in. wide) 1 can (15 oz.) black beans 1 teaspoon salad oil 1/2 cup (3 oz.) soft fresh goat cheese, broken into small chunks 1 to 1 1/2 cups purchased fresh green salsa (mild or hot)