INGREDIENTS
2 T vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
16 oz. mushrooms, sliced (I used Crimini)
1 carrot, diced fine
1 lg or 2 small jalapenos, minced
1 orange (or red or yellow) bell pepper, diced small
8 oz. smoked pork butt, chopped fine or pulled
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
4 4 oz. cans whole peeled Hatch chiles
6 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
6 12" flour tortillas
oil for frying
METHOD
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Prepare all your vegetables as indicated above. Remove chiles from cans, reserving all liquid.
Above: peppers, diced onions and big ol' flour tortillas.
Below: sliced mushrooms, diced carrots, minced jalapenos and diced orange bell pepper.
Put onions and mushrooms in skillet, stirring occasionally and sweating until mushrooms reduce and onions are translucent.
Add pork, spices and the rest of the vegetables to the skillet. Mix well to incorporate, then add reserved pepper juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
Turn off heat and allow filling mixture to cool. Prepare shredded cheese. Slice peppers down one edge and open them up as shown below.
Heat tortillas until soft and pliable. Layer your cheeses down the middle as shown below.
Lay out the chiles flat over the cheese and add the filling on top of the peppers. Keep the filling in a line down the center to make it easier to fold and roll.
Begin the 'burrito fold' as shown below. Fold one long side over, then tuck the ends in.
Now roll the entire folded chimichanga over on top of the remaining flap as shown below. Repeat for remaining tortillas. This does take practice, so don't give up!
Refrigerate chimichangas to set up filling and shape. When chilled sufficiently, remove from refrigerator and secure tight with toothpicks. Before frying run them through the microwave for 45 to 60 seconds to warm the insides back up.
Fry the chimichangas to complete the preparation.
FRYING PAN:
Fill with enough oil to fill it a bit over halfway up the sides of the burritos. Heat oilto 360 degrees. Fry until golden brown, then turn over and fry other side.
DEEP FRYER:
Fill deep fryer with oil to proper level. Heat oil to 360 degrees. Put chimichangas in basket and lower into oil, frying to a golden brown.
Remove from oil, remove and discard toothpicks, and drain over paper towels. Serve warm with toppings of choice. Even with the two jalapenos, it is not a particularly spicy dish. you can vary the type and number of peppers to suit your 'heat tolerance'. And this is what all this work brings you, served with sour cream, salsa and dried cilantro:
