One of the things I love most about food is the memories surrounding it. I’m sure most of you have a special dish that takes you back to your childhood or a special time and place. For me that dish is Chili Verde or Green Chili as it’s known in Tucson. In other places like Santa Fe, Chili Verde is served as a stew. Its delicious but not exactly the same thing that I’m going to show you how to make today.
The recipe I’m going to be sharing is from one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, Chaco’s Cafe. The owner passed away a few years ago and the restaurant just closed its doors last month. However I think a great way to honor his memory is to pass on one of the best recipes I have ever found for Chili Verde burritos.
To me the beauty of Chili Verde is its simplicity and versatility. Traditionally it’s made with beef, but you could use any type of meat or a variety of vegetables or Tofu… but don’t tell anyone I said the later. With just a few ingredients this dish will have you begging for more.
- 2 pounds Chuck roast or shoulder cut up for stew meat.
- 5-10 cloves or garlic
- 1-3 Tablespoons oil
- Beef or chicken broth or water. Add enough to cover meat.
- 8-10 ounces canned or fresh Anaheim green chilis diced
- 1 can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilis or 2 fresh tomatoes diced
- 1 large Spanish onion
- 4-6 Table spoons Cilantro, chopped ( add to taste)
- 1 Jalapeno (optional)
- Butter and flour rue for thickening ( made with broth or water)
- salt and pepper to taste.
Start by browning the meat in the oil with the garlic and salt. Cook over medium heat and stir to get the meat browned on all sides. This should take about 20 minutes. Then add beef broth (if using beef) or water, enough to cover the meat completely. Simmer with the lid on the pot for about 1 hour then check to see if beef has become tender. If not continue cooking adding liquid as needed. Once meat has become tender add the onion, the green chili, the cilantro and tomatoes and cook until vegetables are tender about 20-30 minutes. Next make a rue by adding equal parts butter and flour and cook until butter and flour form a paste, using a whisk slowly add in water or broth whisking constantly until you have a smooth thick sauce, pour the rue into the green chili and stir and simmer another 10 minutes to incorporate the rue.
I love the flour tortillas I buy in Tucson, the traditional ones have only 4 or 5 ingredients and taste nothing like the tortillas we get here in NY. I’ve tried to make my own but usually they come out too thick and in every shape but a circle! So I did a little research and found a company that will ship them to you anywhere in the USA. I have no affiliation with this company and while I like their tortillas they are not my favorites but they have won best tortillas in Tucson in the past and like I said they ship. The shipping rate is the same if you order 1 dozen or the max 7 dozen so of course you should get 7! If you’re interested in giving them a try, check out https://www.lamesatortillas.com/
To make the burrito I heat the tortilla over the open flame of my stove. I flip it, heating on both sides, till it becomes soft. Be careful the tortilla gets very hot. Next I place the tortilla on a plate and put a couple spoonfuls of the Green Chili mixture on one side of the tortilla. Starting from the end with the green chili I fold the tortilla upwards and close both ends and continue rolling. I eat mine by hand but some prefer a knife and fork.
If you’re adventurous and lucky enough to find fresh green chilis in your local market, I suggest you roast them and use them in the Green Chili burritos. I usually roast mine on the bbq grill outside. You want to make sure to blister the skin all around the chili. Once that is done wrap them in a wet dish towel and place them in the refrigerator to cool. Once cooled the skin will be much easier to remove. Then slice them open and remove the seeds and stem and dice. The roasted flavor cant be beat!
I hope you give this recipe a try and as always let us know how it turned out. If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the box below. Until next time Boone Appétit!
