The inspiration for this came from the famous taquerias in San Francisco’s Mission District, where enormous foil-wrapped burritos, with various types of rice, salsas, beans, and meats, are made to order before your eyes.
Burrito Bar Menu
Mains
Carne Asada (see recipe)
Chicken Chile Verde (see recipe)
Sides
Green Rice (see recipe)
Black Beans (see recipe)
Salsa (store bought or homemade)
Guacamole (store bought or homemade)
Drinks
Perfect Margarita (see recipe)
Agua de Jamaica (see recipe)
Kiwi Soda (see recipe)
Sweets
Tres Leches Cake (see recipe)
Carne Asada
No burrito bar is complete without this staple.
What to buy: We like this recipe made with Dos Equis beer, but any brand will work. Just don’t use really dark beer.
Game plan: You can make this dish ahead of time and warm it when you are ready to eat. If you decide to do that, cook the meat to medium rare, about 5 minutes per side, and then warm it over medium-low heat with the reduced marinade juices.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups light Mexican beer (such as Dos Equis)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 medium garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds flank steak
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine 2 cups of the beer, lime juice, lemon juice, garlic, onion, and pepper in a large bowl and mix. Add flank steak, cover well, place in the refrigerator, and marinate at least 3 hours or overnight.
When ready to cook meat, heat a grill to high or 500°F. Remove meat from marinade (reserving marinade juices), pat dry, and season well with salt.
Transfer marinade to a medium pot, add remaining 1/2 cup of beer, and place over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, skim off any foam or impurities that come to the surface, and let mixture reduce by half, about 20 minutes. Strain sauce through a fine mesh sieve, mix in brown sugar, and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place meat on the grill and cook to medium, about 7 to 10 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice steak across the grain into 1-inch strips. Place in a serving dish, and cover with reduced marinade juices
Chicken Chile Verde
This dish is always a big hit. It’s great rolled into a burrito, but you can also serve it on its own topped with scallions, sour cream, and tortilla chips.
What to buy: You can find Aleppo pepper at most gourmet grocery stores or online at the Spice House. If you are having a hard time locating it, use ancho chile powder.
Game plan: Chile verde was destined to be a party dish because you can make it way ahead of the festivities and just warm it (over medium-low heat) when you are ready to eat.
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped red onion (about 1 large onion)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic (about 6 medium cloves)
2 cups coarsely chopped Anaheim chiles (about 5 medium chiles)
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped poblanos (about 5 medium chiles)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups medium-dice russet potatoes
15 medium tomatillos, husked and quartered
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon dried Aleppo pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 (3-inch) piece cinnamon
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
Pat chicken dry, toss with flour, and season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 1/3 of the chicken to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid. Repeat with remaining chicken.
In the same frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mixture to the pot containing the chicken. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same frying pan over medium-high heat. Add Anaheim chiles and poblanos, and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the pot containing the chicken.
Add chicken broth, potatoes, tomatillos, oregano, Aleppo pepper, cumin, paprika, and cinnamon stick to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and potatoes are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Stir cilantro into mixture. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
Spicy Green Rice (Arroz Verde)
INGREDIENTS
2 poblano peppers, stems, seeds, and membranes removed, coarsely chopped
1 serrano pepper, stems, seeds, and membranes removed, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves (about 1/2 bunch)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice (not converted or instant)
2 cups chicken broth
1 lime, halved
INSTRUCTIONS
Place peppers, scallions, parsley, cilantro, and salt in a blender. Add 1/4 cup water, and process until smooth.
Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat in a 4-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. When the butter starts to foam, add rice, stirring well to coat each grain. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is fragrant and slightly golden, about 3 minutes.
Add blended ingredients to the pan and mix well. Simmer for 1 minute, then stir in chicken broth.
Return mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until liquid is completely absorbed and rice is tender, about 14 minutes.
Remove from heat and let rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and squeeze lime juice over
Black Beans with Mexican Beer
INGREDIENTS
2 cups dried black beans
1 medium white onion
2 dried ancho chiles
1 small celery stalk, halved
1 small carrot, peeled and halved
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon whole dried cumin seed
1 teaspoon whole dried coriander seed
1 serrano pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium ripe tomato, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 (12-ounce) bottle of Mexican beer, such as Dos Equis
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
INSTRUCTIONS
Pour dried beans onto a rimmed baking sheet and quickly pick through them, removing and discarding any broken beans or stones. Place beans in a large nonreactive bowl and cover them with at least 3 inches of cold water. Allow to soak overnight or at least 8 hours.
After beans have soaked, drain in a colander. Place in a large saucepan and cover with at least 2 inches of cold water.
Heat oven to 400°F. Peel the onion and halve it lengthwise. Leave one half whole; coarsely chop the other half and set it aside for the seasoning paste.
Remove stems from chiles and slit them open to dump out the seeds. Place chiles on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are crisp and fragrant. Place them in a small bowl and cover with very hot water; allow to soak for at least 15 minutes, or until they are soft and pliable.
Place the onion half, celery, carrot, garlic cloves, and bay leaves into the pot containing the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and gently simmer the beans until they are almost completely tender but still a little starchy in the center, about 30 minutes. (Beans should not be completely done, as they will cook for another 20 minutes with the spice blend and beer.) Season the beans well with salt and remove the pot from heat.
Heat a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add cumin and coriander seed, and lightly toast them until fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Remove ancho chiles from the soaking water, and coarsely chop them. Combine chiles, reserved chopped onion, serrano pepper, tomato, oregano, 1/4 cup of the beer, salt, and toasted cumin and coriander seed in a blender, and process until smooth.
Strain the beans, and discard the onion half, celery, carrot, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Place about 1 cup of cooked beans in a small mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or the back of a fork to coarsely crush them.
Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. When it is smoking hot, add puréed mixture and fry it for 3 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Mix in crushed and whole beans and the rest of the beer.
Simmer beans uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt.
Perfect Margarita
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 ounces tequila (blanco, 100 percent agave)
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce Cointreau (not Triple Sec)
Salt for rimming glass (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau, and stir together.
Rim a rocks glass with salt (optional) by pressing the glass into a wet paper towel, then dipping it into a plate of salt.
Serve on the rocks.
Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Punch)
If you choose to add alcohol , simply add as much high-quality vodka as you like.
Look for Jamaica flowers (also known as hibiscus or flor de jamaica) in most Latin grocery stores; they’re often found in the bulk bins or in the dried herbs section. You can also find them online at MexGrocer.com.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 gallons distilled water
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, finely grated
4 cups dried Jamaica flowers (also known as hibiscus or flor de jamaica)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 large limes)
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine distilled water and ginger in a large stockpot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add Jamaica flowers, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, lower heat to medium, and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat, and stir in lime juice. Let liquid cool slightly, about 30 minutes. Strain through a chinois or fine mesh sieve into a large, heat-resistant bowl or pot. Set aside to cool, then chill and serve over ice.
Note: Sometimes there’s a little gritty sediment that settles at the bottom of the brewing pot. To prevent any grit from getting into your agua fresca, don’t pour the very last bit of the brew through the sieve while straining.
Kiwi Soda
Agave nectar is available at health food stores and online at Wild Organics. It’s also known as agave syrup. If you can’t find agave nectar, just substitute Simple Syrup.
INGREDIENTS
2 ripe kiwis, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 lime, juiced
4 tablespoons agave nectar
Cold seltzer water (club soda) for topping drinks
INSTRUCTIONS
Place kiwis and lime juice in the jar of a blender, and process until smooth. Divide kiwi mixture between two tall glasses (you will use about 1/3 cup purée per drink), and mix 2 tablespoons of agave nectar into each with a long spoon. Add ice and top with seltzer. Stir gently and serve.
Coconut Tres Leches Cake
INGREDIENTS
6 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup evaporated milk (not nonfat)
1/2 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon dark rum, such as Myers’s
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 325°F. Butter a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Separate eggs, and place yolks in a large mixing bowl. Reserve whites in a separate mixing bowl.
Add sugar to yolks, and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until pale yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Clean beaters, and whip egg whites to medium peaks, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, stir about 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold in remaining whites.
Whisk flour with a dry whisk to aerate and break up any lumps, then sprinkle it over egg mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold flour into egg mixture, just until there are no more white flour streaks. Don’t overmix.
Pour batter into the buttered baking dish, and bake until cake is puffed and golden and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove cake from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack. With a toothpick, poke holes all over the cake. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together three milks and rum, and pour mixture evenly over cake. Continue cooling cake, about 45 minutes more, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
For toasted coconut, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add coconut and spread it in an even layer. Cook, stirring often, until coconut is lightly toasted and browned. If coconut begins to burn, reduce heat. Remove from the pan immediately.
To serve the cake, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar to medium peaks. (If you like, flavor it with a teaspoon of dark rum.) Top each cake slice with a mound of whipped cream, and garnish with toasted coconut.
Source: http://www.chow.com
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