One of the most popular and traditional burritos of the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez borderlands, this chile verde burrito is referred to as a purist burrito: It has no toppings, no garnishes and no salsas or crema to drizzle on top. It is neat, clean, slim and tightly packed; its filling is intensely flavorful, but delicate in its texture and bite. Everything in it is cooked al punto, on point: The Anaheim chiles are fire-roasted to bring out their exuberance, tenderly cooked over soft heat with almost-caramelized onions and soft-to-the-bite potatoes, and then coated in creamy crema. The fact that the best renditions of this burrito are made with freshly made flour tortillas makes the experience sublime.

Burritos de Chile Verde con Papas (Chile Verde Burritos With Potatoes)

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces (about 4 to 6 large) fresh Anaheim chiles (also known as California chiles), or chilaca or New Mexico chiles
  • Kosher or sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 pound Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-by-1/4-inch matchsticks
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium white onion, halved and slivered
  • 1 cup Mexican crema or crème fraîche (or even heavy cream, in a pinch)
  • 8 large store-bought or homemade flour tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded asadero, quesadilla or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

  1. Place the chiles on a baking sheet under the broiler, or directly on the grill, or right on the burner of a gas stove over medium-high heat, or on a preheated comal over medium heat. Turn them every couple minutes, for a total of about 10 minutes, until they are completely charred and blistered all over.

  2. Place the roasted chiles in a lidded container, close it tightly and let them sweat for at least 10 minutes. Set them under a thin stream of cold water (or in a bowl filled with water) and peel the charred skin, which should come right off. Make a slit down one side and discard the cluster of seeds and veins. Remove the stems and cut the chiles into 1-by-1/4-inch matchsticks (about the same size as the potatoes). Set aside.

  3. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil, add the potatoes and cook until very soft, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

  4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, translucent and barely starting to lightly brown around the edges, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the roasted chile strips and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the chile strips have softened even more. Incorporate the cooked potatoes, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are coated with the same cooked glimmer.

  5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the crema and simmer until it thickens and slightly darkens, about 4 minutes. Set aside.

  6. Heat a comal, griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Once it’s hot, reduce the heat to low and place a tortilla on it. Once it lightly browns on one side, about 30 seconds, flip it and top with 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Once the cheese starts melting, 30 to 45 seconds later, remove the tortilla.

  7. Add a scant 1/2 cup of the chile verde and potato filling in a thick strip to one side of the tortilla. Tuck in the top and bottom, fold and roll it into a burrito. (You can also leave it untucked and just roll it.) If you’d like the tortilla to brown a bit, you can place the filled burrito on the comal for another minute or two. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese and filling. Serve hot. (Though best eaten right away, you can prepare the filling ahead of time and refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to 5 days.)

Notes