Breakfast Burritos with Green Chile and Bacon

Hatch green chile (best green chile peppers in the universe) is now in season, starting from mid-July through August.

During my 20 years in New Mexico, I learned that chile peppers, particularly fresh Hatch green chile, are essential to the local cuisine. There is nothing more New Mexican than a breakfast burrito, either hand-held (if you are on the go) or "smothered" in chile sauce on a plate. (I make mine hand-held, so I have the option to “grab and go,” but I add extra sauce over them whenever possible.) I have made the same green chile sauce for decades and I can't recall the original source, but it has become distinctly my own. Everyone has a particular type of breakfast burrito they love, and for me, it's a bacon, potato and green chile burrito smothered in extra green chile sauce. One important tip: don't be tempted to make only 4 burritos - make the whole recipe and freeze at least half.

Breakfast Burritos, NM Style

Ingredients ($15.70 for 8 servings or $1.96/serving)

• 8 slices thick-sliced bacon ($3, Aldi)

• 3 large Russet potatos, peeled and shredded with a box grater (0.40, Aldi)

• Salt and Pepper

• 1 Medium white onion, chopped (0.25, Aldi)

• 1 garlic clove, pressed (0.10)

• 4-6 large eggs, lightly beaten (1.50, Aldi)

• 8 large flour tortillas ($ 2.70, Walmart)

• 6 oz. shredded cheese, Colby or Jack ($1.50)

• A couple of cups green chile sauce, recipe follows.

Chile Sauce

• 4 T butter ($ 0.40)

• 1 white onion, chopped ($ 0.25, Walmart)

• 3-4 T flour ($0.10)

• 2 c. green chile (fresh or frozen or a jar of 505 Chile, $4.00 at Walmart))

• 3 c. Chicken stock ($1.40)

• 1 garlic clove, pressed ($ 0.10)

Directions

1. Oven "fry" your bacon ahead of time. Set oven to 425 degrees.

2. Line a sheet pan with foil. Separate bacon slices and place on sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes until crispy. Set out to cool.

3. Prepare green Chile sauce: heat 4 T butter in saucepan, add a chopped onion and cook until soft. Add at least 3 T flour and cook into a roux. Whisk in 3 c. of chicken stock. Add green Chile and garlic and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Peel and grate your potatoes. Heat 1/4 c. oil in nonstick skillet.

5. Stir in potatoes, salt and pepper and fry until crispy on bottom. Flip your hash browns and press down. Scrape the pan up from the bottom and add onion and garlic, and pat down again. Repeat until potatoes are crispy, or about 15 minutes.

6. Pour eggs over the potatoes and scrape mixture up again until eggs are cooked and distributed evenly.

7. Get ready to assemble your burritos. Get your potato mixture, your green chile sauce, cheese and bacon at hand. Take out a tortilla and begin assembly.

7. Spoon 1/8 of the potato/egg mixture onto a flour tortilla. Top with a slice of bacon (if its thick-sliced or 2 slices if it's not). Spoon a couple of spoonsful of sauce and some cheese on top of the burrito. (Topping should be on lower half of tortilla.) Pull up the bottom, tuck in the sides, and roll.

8. If serving immediately, heat your burrito under a broiler, or for a minute in the microwave and top with lots of green chile sauce. You can store your burritos in the refrigerator for 3 days wrapped in parchment, or you can freeze for later. The green chile sauce keeps 3-5 days in the refrigerator.

9. These burritos freeze beautifully. Wrap each burrito in parchment paper, and tie with string or tape with masking tape. Place the individually wrapped burritos in a gallon zippered freezing bag and place in the freezer. Take out of freezer and thaw overnight or defrost in microwave for 5 minutes. Heat for 1 minute and add sauce, if you have it. (Note: The sauce freezes also but keep it off the burrito until right before its time to eat.)