Crispy Basket Burritos Baked Tortilla Bowls Recipes

CRISPY BURRITO BASKETS

Steps:

• Cook the dry beans, covered with broth by 1-inch, (4-6 cups of broth) in an Instant Pot for 28 minutes with a 10 minute natural release; drain well. If cooking the beans on your stove top, use a Dutch oven or large pot, covering the beans with broth by 1-2 inches; bring to a low simmer, then cover with a lid. Let the beans cook for 45-55 minutes or until fork tender; drain well.**If you don't have time to cook dry beans, use a can of your favorite refried beans.
• Reserve a few of the cooked beans for garnishing the burrito bowls. Place the remaining cooked and tender beans into the bowl of a food processor, pulsing to combine (mixture will still be pretty chunky and sticky at this point). Sprinkle in the oregano, adding the broth a little at a time, pulsing the food processor as needed, until the refried beans are a smooth and creamy consistency. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; keep warm. **If you don't own a food processor, the cooked beans can be mashed using a potato masher.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the sour cream with a bit of the minced chipotles, tasting as you go. **Keep in mind that the chipotles are very hot and smoky, so don't get too heavy-handed, unless you like spicy! Place the prepared chipotle crema into a quart bag, then refrigerate until you're ready to make the burrito baskets.
• Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains and the beef is fully cooked throughout (165 degrees F. internal temperature); drain any fats that have accumulated in the skillet. Add the taco seasoning to your preferred taste - I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Keep the beef mixture warm.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the 8-inch warmed flour tortillas into 4 basket molds that have been well-sprayed with with non-stick spray. Place the molds onto a baking sheet; bake, uncovered, on the center rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove the baskets from the oven; letting the baskets rest for 5 minutes in the molds, then remove to a cooling rack.
• **If you don't have burrito basket molds, invert a small saucepan onto a baking sheet and cover with foil, wrapping the foil over and down around the saucepan. Place a 12-inch flour tortilla on top of the foil-wrapped sauce pan; brush the tortilla with the oil or spray well with non-stick spray, then wrap the flour tortilla down around the saucepan, pleating it in various spots to fit the saucepan, using your palms to press it down and around the foil securely, without tearing the flour tortilla as you do so. Bake, uncovered, on the center rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Remove the basket from the oven and let it rest on the sauce pan for 5 minutes before lifting it off to a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining 3 tortillas.
• Place some of the warm refried beans into the bottom of each burrito basket, spreading it out to the edges. Top with the seasoned and cooked ground beef and a good sprinkling of shredded cheese. Top with shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes.Cut the corner from the bag of prepared chipotle crema, then pipe it over the top of the burrito basket filling. Garnish with chopped scallions, chopped cilantro, and the reserved and cooked beans. Add a dollop of guacamole into the center of the ingredients, then drizzle with taco sauce, as desired. Add a couple of sliced limes to one side of the basket. Repeat with the remaining baskets and serve at once. Ole!