Shrimp Machaca and Potato Burritos

Method10 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Before heating the skillet later, have the potatoes, onion, serrano, garlic and tomatoes prepared as listed, and have the salsa ready. Cover the dried chipotles with hot water and soak for 10 minutes. Lift them out, stem, seed and finely chop; discard the soaking water.

   Check soaked chipotles · 10 minUses 2 dried chipotle chiles · Hot water, enough to cover the dried chiles

2. 2

   Step 2: Bring a pot of generously salted water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add all the shrimp (1 lb) and cook for about 1 minute as an initial check, continuing until firm, pearly and opaque throughout. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool briefly; keep the cooking water simmering for the potatoes.

   Check the shrimp · 1 minUses 1 lb raw medium shrimp, shelled · Water, enough to simmer the shrimp and potatoes in the same pot · Sea salt, as needed to salt the cooking water generously

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the diced potatoes to the same simmering water while the cooked shrimp cool. Cook for 5–6 minutes, checking from 5 minutes, until soft and cooked through. Drain the potatoes and set aside; discard the cooking water.

   Check diced potatoes · 5 minUses ¾ lb red potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice · The shrimp-poaching water left in the pot from step 2

4. 4

   Step 4: Once the cooked shrimp are cool enough to handle, work in batches in a food-safe bag and gently pound with a meat pounder or a heavy flat-bottomed pan until broken apart and mashed.

   Uses All cooked shrimp lifted from step 2, with their cooking water left behind

5. 5

   Step 5: Heat all the peanut oil (3 tbsp) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prepared onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, checking from 3 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown.

   Check the onion · 3 minUses 3 tbsp peanut oil · ½ cup finely chopped white onion

6. 6

   Step 6: Add the chopped serrano and soaked chopped chipotles, stir, and cook for 1 minute.

   Add garlic after the chiles · 1 minUses All onion and oil from step 5 · 1 serrano chile, stemmed and finely chopped · All drained, stemmed, seeded and chopped chipotles from step 1

7. 7

   Step 7: Add the garlic (2) and sesame seeds (3 tbsp). Stir and cook for 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant and the seeds are toasted and browned.

   Check garlic and sesame · 1 minUses All onion-chile mixture from step 6 · 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed · 3 tbsp sesame seeds

8. 8

   Step 8: Add the tomatoes and ½ tsp filling salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes are very soft and pasty.

   Check the tomato mixture · 5 minUses All aromatics and toasted sesame from step 7 · 1½ lb ripe Roma tomatoes, finely chopped · ½ tsp sea salt, for the filling

9. 9

   Step 9: Stir all the mashed cooked shrimp and drained potatoes into the pasty tomato mixture. Stir and mash together over the heat for about 1 minute until combined and hot. Taste and add extra salt if needed.

   Uses All pasty tomato mixture from step 8 · All mashed cooked shrimp from step 4 · All cooked potatoes from step 3, with the cooking water discarded · Extra sea salt, to taste at the final filling check

10. 10

    Step 10: Warm the tortillas on a preheated comal or skillet until pliable. Put 2–3 tbsp of the hot filling in each and roll to make 8 burritos. Serve soft, or return assembled burritos to the comal for about 1 minute if you want them lightly toasted. Serve with the separately prepared Serrano Salsa Cruda. Reserve excess filling separately; refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours.

    Uses Flour tortillas to make 8 burritos · Hot filling from step 9: 2–3 tbsp per tortilla; reserve excess separately · Ready-prepared Serrano Salsa Cruda, for serving