While the rest of the modern world is busy getting their post New Year's diet on, I find myself craving...a chimichanga. Which is weird because I can't remember when or where I might have had one before. But there is definitely a chimichanga lodged in my memory bank. It is crispy and corny and wickedly greasy and good. But how to make one? An Internet search turned up plenty of recipes--but these were corpulent specimens, more like fried burritos than the crunchy little cigars I remember from somewhere. Typing in "skinny chimichangas" was no help either--you wouldn't believe how many "diet" versions of chimis there are out there! Who in their right mind wants to eat a Weight Watchers chimichanga?
So, I invented my own. The filling was easy enough--sauteed tomatoes, onions, garlic, yellow peppers, and chopped roasted chicken seasoned with cumin, chili powder and oregano, with a healthy amount of cilantro stirred in at the end. Filling the tortillas was more of a challenge--they kept cracking, even after I took Emeril's suggestion and nuked them for a few seconds under a damp paper towel. Eventually, I ended up twice frying them--first dipping them in hot oil for a few seconds per side until pliable, then filling and rolling them, then frying them a second time until golden brown.
Okay, so maybe they are a little plumper than they should be...but so am I. Happy New Year!
