Shredded Pork Burritos with Ancho Chile Sauce
These incredible burritos are simple enough for a weeknight and, with the clever presentation tips that follow the recipe, elegant enough for a special gathering. You can always cook the pork ahead of time and reheat it for dinner.
Credit: Dishing with Style: Secrets to Great Tastes and Beautiful Presentations by Rori Trovato
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
* 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 7 to 8 pounds pork shoulder, with the bone (3 1/2 pounds if boneless), rinsed and patted dry
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
* 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
* 2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
* 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
* 1 medium onion, quartered
* 1 whole dried ancho chile, seeds and stem removed
* 4 cups chicken broth
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 6 (12-inch) flour tortillas
* 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce (1 small head)
* 8 to 10 sprigs cilantro
* 6 radishes, sliced very thin
* 2 tablespoons chopped scallions, green parts only
* 1 tablespoon lime juice (from 1 lime, for whole burritos)
* 1/2 cup sour cream
Directions:
In a heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven large enough to fit the pork, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over a medium-high flame. Add the pork and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the cumin, garlic, onion, chile, broth and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 4 hours, turning the pork every hour. The meat should be very tender and falling apart. Keep at least 1 to 2 inches of liquid on the bottom of the pot throughout the cooking; add water to maintain the proper level.
Remove the pork to a cutting board. With a colander in a large bowl, strain and discard the solids from the pot and reserve the liquid.
When the pork is cool enough to handle, shred it with a fork or your fingers and discard the bone if there is one. Set the pork aside. Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid and add the remaining sauce to the shredded pork. Adjust the seasoning with salt to taste.
Wrap the tortillas completely in damp paper towels. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove 1 tortilla at a time and add 1/2 cup of the pork mixture down the center of the tortilla, then top with 1/4 cup of the shredded lettuce.
For sushi-style burritos: Fold in both the left and the right side of the tortilla about 1 1/2 inches. Roll the tortilla away from you, rather tightly, creating a log.
Cut each burrito into thirds, making the first cut about 2 1/2 inches in from the edge and on the diagonal. Halve the remaining piece, making a crosswise cut. This will create 3 pieces, each having a flat bottom. Arrange the pieces upright on individual plates or all of the pieces on a large platter. Tuck a few cilantro sprigs and some radish slices and scallions around the rim of each plate. Drizzle a teaspoon of the reserved sauce in each burrito piece and top with a dollop of sour cream. Garnish the platter with more cilantro sprigs.
For whole burritos: In a bowl, combine the remaining shredded lettuce, radishes, scallions, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the lime juice. Add salt to taste and set aside.
To make the burritos, tuck in only 1 side of the tortilla about 2 inches and roll the tortilla away from you, creating a log. Allow the meat to loosely tumble out the open end. Spread the shredded lettuce mixture on each of 6 dinner plates and set the tortilla, seam side up, on the lettuce bed. Drizzle the reserved sauce, crosswise, over the burritos. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and tuck a sprig of cilantro into the sour cream. Serve hot.
