Burrito Bar

Notes: At many Mexican delis, you can find great cooked filling choices like carnitas (slow-cooked pork) and carne asada (marinated beef steak). And meat sections often carry ready-to-grill marinated meats such as lomo de res (beef), puerco adovado (pork), or fajitas de pollo (chicken). If those options aren't available, look for rotisserie chickens from a supermarket deli.

Yield: Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  cotija or feta cheese
• 1 1/2  cups  crema (Mexican sour cream) or sour cream
• 1 1/2  cups  salsa (1 or 2 types)
• 1  head iceberg lettuce
• 1  ounce  fresh cilantro
• 5  green onions
• 2  avocados (8 oz. each) or 1 1/2 cups guacamole
• 1  lime
• 2  or 3 cans (16 oz. each) black, pinto, or refried beans
• About 2 pounds boned cooked meat (see notes, above) or 2 roasted whole chickens (1 3/4 lb. each)
• 10  fresh flour tortillas (10 in. wide)

Preparation

1. Crumble cotija cheese and put in a bowl. Place crema and salsa in containers. Rinse lettuce, cilantro, and green onions. Finely shred enough lettuce to make about 5 cups and place in a container. Chop cilantro and thinly slice onions (including green tops); put in containers. Pit and peel avocados, thinly slice into a bowl, and mix with 2 tablespoons lime juice.

2. In a 2- to 3-quart covered pan over medium heat, stir beans often until hot (adding a little water, if needed, to refried beans), about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. Or heat, covered, in a microwave oven at full power (100%), stirring once, until hot, 3 to 4 minutes. If using whole beans, lift beans from liquid with a slotted spoon or drain in a colander.

3. Tear cooked meat into coarse shreds or cut into thin slices. If using a whole roast chicken, pull meat off bones and shred; sliver skin and include (or discard if desired). If meat is raw, grill it, then slice into bite-size pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature. To reheat, place meat in a microwave-safe bowl, cover, and heat in microwave oven at half power (50%), stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Drizzle 1/4 cup water over a dish towel. Wrap tortillas in towel and overwrap with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Heat in a microwave oven at full power (100%) until hot and steamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and set towel-wrapped tortillas in a basket or covered casserole.

5. Arrange cheese, crema, salsa, lettuce, cilantro, onions, avocados, beans, meat, and tortillas on the table.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per burrito with chicken.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

611 (44% from fat)

Protein:

36g

Fat:

30g (sat 12)

Carbohydrate:

53g

Fiber:

7.9g

Sodium:

1744mg

Cholesterol:

134mg