One part burrito, one part jambalaya, all good.
If you want to crank the heat, splash some hot sauce onto the rice and beans, or sprinkle diced jalapeno peppers inside before rolling up the tortilla. This filling also would be good as a hearty rice dish served alongside spicy grilled chicken. Or add a litre of chicken broth, bring it to a simmer, and you’ve got a satisfying soup.
For an even more nutritious take on this recipe, substitute ready-cooked brown rice for the white rice (reduce cooking time accordingly) and use low-fat sour cream and cheese.
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SPICY BLACK BEAN, SAUSAGE AND RICE BURRITO
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
4 slices bacon, cut into 2.5 cm (1-inch) pieces
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 precooked spicy chicken sausages, cut into rounds
5 ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika
250 ml (1 cup) long-grain white rice
500 ml (2 cups) chicken broth
460 ml (15-oz) can black beans, drained
250 ml (1 cup) jarred tomatillo salsa
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
125 ml (1/2 cup) chopped fresh cilantro
250 ml (1 cup) shredded cheddar cheese
250 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon for 2 minutes, or until it lightly coats the pan with fat. Add the onion, garlic, sausages and smoked paprika. Saute for 3 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for another 30 seconds. Add the broth and beans, stir well, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Mix in the salsa, then season with salt and pepper.
Microwave the tortillas for about 15 seconds to soften them. Divide the rice and beans mixture among the tortillas, then top each with chopped cilantro, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 660 calories; 232 calories from fat; 26 g fat (10 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 78 mg cholesterol; 80 g carbohydrate; 28 g protein; 6 g fibre; 1,880 mg sodium.
(Recipe from J.M. Hirsch’s “High Flavor, Low Labor: Reinventing Weeknight Cooking,” Ballantine, 2010)
