Special Equipment: Food processor or blender
Burritos come in all sizes and can be filled with a wild variety of savory ingredients intended to comfort and satisfy. This hearty, vegan recipe will not disappoint…nor will it leave you feeling guilty! Quick-cooked collard greens make for a beautiful and nourishing gluten-free alternative to flour tortillas, but use whichever you prefer. The secret to the mouthwatering taste is the sofrito salsa made with dried ancho chilis and warming spices. It unites the other components into a truly bodacious burrito. Ancho peppers are the dried form of poblano peppers which have a smoky quality and provide a sweet, mild heat. If you can't find whole dried anchos, look for ancho chili powder or smoked paprika. Look for jackfruit in cans or in the refrigerated section of most well-stocked grocery stores. Kidney beans are meaty and add terrific texture but pinto or black beans would work just as well. And bright, tender corn punctuates the filling with pleasant bursts of sweetness throughout.
If you can't find large collards and flour tortillas are not on the menu, don't let that stop you! Plate your rice, jackfruit filling, and all the toppings without the wrap and it's just as delicious, or load the topping into an avocado for an extra-creamy treat: There's more than one way to enjoy this meal! And while there may seem like a few steps to the recipe, they're all quite simple and well worth the effort.
To make the rice, place it in a small pot with 1 1/2 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes or until all of the water is gone. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork.
To rehydrate the dried ancho chilis, bring several cups of water to boil. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with the water. Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the collards. When the peppers are soft, pull out the stems and rinse out the seeds as best as you can. Chop into large pieces and set aside.
To cook the collards, fill a large, straight-sided pan about halfway with water. Bring to a gentle boil. Line a cutting board or large plate with a clean towel. While the water is heating up, trim off the bottom 2 inches of the stem so that it is even with the leaf and does not extend further. Place the leaf stem-side up on a cutting board and use a rolling pin to crush the stem so it's pliable. Alternatively, use a sharp knife to cut out the center stem in a v-shape, leaving the leaf connected at the top: Using this method means you will have to overlap the two sides of the leave in order to fill and roll. When the water comes to a boil, place one leaf in the pan and let cook for about 1 minute. Use tongs to remove from the water and place on the lined plate. Repeat with each leaf. Leaves can be prepared several days in advance and kept in a sealed bag or container in the refrigerator. Empty the water and keep the pan on the stove.
Place the rehydrated anchos, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, green chilis, garlic, syrup, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until puréed. Add the jackfruit and pulse several times to coarsely chop, leaving a chunky texture.
Set the heat to medium under the pan used for the collards. Empty the contents of the food processor bowl into the hot pan. Cook while stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes until spices and aromatics are fragrant. Stir in kidney beans, corn, and lime juice. Cook for about 5 minutes more until everything is combined.
To assemble the burritos, lay out a collard leaf on a cutting board. Evenly distribute a couple of tablespoons of rice. Layer on the jackfruit filling. Add a couple of slices of avocado. Top with chopped tomatoes. Gently but firmly roll the leaf with the filling, while tucking the ends in. Set aside and repeat until you run out of leaves or filling.
Slice burritos in half and serve with dipping sauce.
To make the rice, place it in a small pot with 1 1/2 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes or until all of the water is gone. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork.
To rehydrate the dried ancho chilis, bring several cups of water to boil. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with the water. Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the collards. When the peppers are soft, pull out the stems and rinse out the seeds as best as you can. Chop into large pieces and set aside.
To cook the collards, fill a large, straight-sided pan about halfway with water. Bring to a gentle boil. Line a cutting board or large plate with a clean towel. While the water is heating up, trim off the bottom 2 inches of the stem so that it is even with the leaf and does not extend further. Place the leaf stem-side up on a cutting board and use a rolling pin to crush the stem so it's pliable. Alternatively, use a sharp knife to cut out the center stem in a v-shape, leaving the leaf connected at the top: Using this method means you will have to overlap the two sides of the leave in order to fill and roll. When the water comes to a boil, place one leaf in the pan and let cook for about 1 minute. Use tongs to remove from the water and place on the lined plate. Repeat with each leaf. Leaves can be prepared several days in advance and kept in a sealed bag or container in the refrigerator. Empty the water and keep the pan on the stove.
Place the rehydrated anchos, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, green chilis, garlic, syrup, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until puréed. Add the jackfruit and pulse several times to coarsely chop, leaving a chunky texture.
Set the heat to medium under the pan used for the collards. Empty the contents of the food processor bowl into the hot pan. Cook while stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes until spices and aromatics are fragrant. Stir in kidney beans, corn, and lime juice. Cook for about 5 minutes more until everything is combined.
To assemble the burritos, lay out a collard leaf on a cutting board. Evenly distribute a couple of tablespoons of rice. Layer on the jackfruit filling. Add a couple of slices of avocado. Top with chopped tomatoes. Gently but firmly roll the leaf with the filling, while tucking the ends in. Set aside and repeat until you run out of leaves or filling.
Slice burritos in half and serve with dipping sauce.
