Chimichangas
Today is a little something for you and your sweetheart for Valentine's Day. What we're fixing today is the greatest green chile, beef, bean and cheese chimichanga with a green pepper sauce!more
We start with a ground beef mixtures with Hatch green chiles and seasoned up with some cumin, ancho and smoked paprika for a bold flavor.
Next comes a dried ancho chili. You can shake the seeds out of it to reduce the heat or you can leave them in, whatever you want. I like to crush it really small and add it to the beef mixture 'cause it gives it so much flavor.
Let all this simmer for about 5-8 minutes until everything gets good and soft and that meat has browned. And make sure to stir it on occasion.
Once it's all cooked, be sure to remove any excess grease from the skillet.
And, folks, it is not a chimichanga without some beans in it! And I'm gonna use about 2 cups of our homemade Refried Beans recipe (you can find here). However, if you want a quicker method- you can use just a can of refried beans, but I like to doctor them up a little with some mayonnaise, sour cream and onions (see recipe below).
Let that all simmer together for about 3-4 minutes stirring frequently, so it doesn't stick to the skillet.
Time to Tuck and Roll the Chimichangas
When the meat cools off, put the cheese and meat on tortilla and roll it.
While the grease is getting hot, we're gonna take us some of our homemade tortillas. or you can use 8-inch store bought tortillas.We're going to take some cheese and put down the middle of the tortilla and then the meat mixture. We want this to be cheesy- so top that off with more cheese and now it's time to roll!
Cover the side ends first so you can seal it.
Fold each side in toward the middle and then the bottom flap up to the middle- sort of like an envelope. Continue rolling all the way up. Now this is important- you want to secure the burrito with a toothpick so they stay closed when frying.
Deep-Fry the Chimis
Heat the grease to 375F degrees so the chimichangas crisp up and brown quickly.
We're heating some Manteca in a Dutch oven. You can also use lard or a good high temp fry oil in a saucepan or deep fryer. Heat the oil to 365 to 375 degrees F. because we want this to be a quicker fry.
Place the burritos, sealed side down, and fry until a light golden brown, rotating frequently. Be sure not to overcook these so they become too crispy. You want a mix of crunch and softness. Remove from oil and let cool slightly on a paper towel or wire rack.
Enjoy the Chimichangas!
But don't quit me now because we need something to dip these rascals in! It's the perfect green pepper salsa to pair with it. It's a blend of tomato, onion, serrano and jalapenos all blended up smooth.
So, go ahead and enjoy the chimichangas with your sweetheart on this Valentine's Day or any day! Be sure to share the food and the recipes.
