Calexico Burrito

I like my salsa on the side for dipping, but normal people could simplify and just put it inside.

Of the many specials I've had at Laughing Planet over the many years (12 years since I started eating at the one in Bloomington), the Calexico has been my favorite. I've only seen it once. It had a long list of ingredients, which I wrote down and saved so I could try to make it at home, and here's my first attempt.

I set out knowing that I wouldn't be able to replicate Laughing Planet's deliciousness, because I've never been able to do it even with simpler ventures like spinach / black bean burritos. I think the secret is the way they heat the burritos after wrapping them in foil. Whatever magic they do while you're waiting for your order, it melds the flavors and elevates the burritos to something I can't make at home. My best approximation has been to bake them in the foil for 20-30 minutes, but they come out a bit more crisp. Do they steam them, maybe?

Anyway, I was still excited to make my own inferior burrito with the flavors of the Calexico, simplified a tad. Here's what I did.

This slaw will be great on grilled shrimp tacos tomorrow.

Ready to roll.

The Recipe:

Flour tortillas

Red beans

Brown rice

Queso fresco

Guacamole (avocado, red onion, salt, and lime juice)

Slaw (cabbage, carrots, cilantro, green onion, garlic, honey, lime juice, and salt)

Chicken, shredded

Salsa (I think theirs was a smokey chipotle-type salsa, but mine wasn't.)

Put ingredients in tortilla.
Roll, then wrap the whole burrito in foil.
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Or figure out what Laughing Planet does, and do that instead.

The Verdict:

Overall grade: B+

Overall reason: Guacamole in a burrito is genius.

Time to prepare: 30 minutes, though it's best to make the slaw ahead of time and let it sit.

Husband quote: No quote, but I'd like to document the fact that after he'd finished his burrito, he started staring at me and imitating my face while I was finishing mine. Because every girl wants to be imitated while she's eating a burrito. He claims it wasn't a weight-loss tactic... he was just amusing himself.

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