Mushroom and Asparagus Burritos with Roasted Salsa Verde

I was initially very wary of using veggies like asparagus in Mexican food as it didn't seem very 'authentic'. Well, I've quickly gotten over that because many ingredients, whether authentic or not, can be turned into yummy Mexican-inspired meals with the right flavor combination.

Wanting to enjoy the abundance of fresh, local, organic asparagus we've been getting from our CSA, I came up with these burritos. They were really good, and as my first Mexican meal without avocados or guacamole, I must say, this was fantastic!

I made a roasted salsa verde to go with the meal. The burritos and the salsa paired wonderfully. The salsa is spicy, flavorful, and very easy to make.

Roasted veggies out of the oven.

Everything in the food processor.

The finished product, so good!

Roasted Salsa Verde

Makes 1 1/2 to 2 cups of salsa.

1 lb tomatillos (about 10), husked and washed

4 serrano chiles

1/4 yellow onion

4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of one lime

cumin

salt

1 1/2 cups veggie broth

Preheat broiler.

Layer tomatillos, serrano chiles, onion and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with cocout oil and salt.

Roast in the oven for about 3-5 minutes on each side.

Once veggies are roasted, allow to cool for a few minutes, then remove the stem and peel the peppers. (Remove the seeds if you don't want a spicy salsa.)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until very smooth.

Transfer salsa to a sauce pan. Add the veggie broth and simmer on low for about 2 hours or until the salsa is very thick.

This sauce will last about a week in the refrigerator and freezes well.

Mushroom and Asparagus Burritos

2 cups cooked black beans

1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends discarded, roasted, and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, roasted and sliced

1 package white button mushrooms, minced

1 package baby portobello mushrooms, minced

2-3 hot peppers, seeded and minced

1/4 red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

cumin

chili powder

paprika

ground coriander

cayenne pepper

salt

tortillas

Roasted Salsa Verde

Heat a few tablespoons of water in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms, peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook for 10-15 minutes of until veggies are soft. Drain any excess water.

Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.

Layer filling in warmed tortillas. Roll up and fry if desired.

Serve with Roasted Salsa Verde.

'Til next time.