Spicy Mole Pork Burritos

This is a recipe I found in the Washington Post food section after it was named a finalist in the 2008 Pillsbury Bake-Off. I was intrigued by the description and by the unique mix of ingredients, so I decided to give it a try.  Because of the long prep time, I don't think I'll be making them often, but it was fun to sample a recipe worthy of being a bake-off  finalist.

(Please forgive the boring picture.  I could have sworn I took one with it unrolled, but somehow it never quite made it from the camera to the computer.)

Click here for printable recipe.  

The ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

1 cup water

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 medium clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 Tbs. apricot preserves

2 Tbs. chopped green chili peppers, drained (from a 4.5-oz. can)

1/4 cup raisins

2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbs. finely ground almonds

1 pound lean ground pork

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 can (10-oz.) enchilada sauce

1 can (15-oz.) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

8 flour tortillas (8-inch) {red or green tortillas would make for a more interesting color combo}

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1-1/2 cups sour cream, for garnish

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Cook the rice in the water according to package directions. When it is ready, remove it from the heat.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the chipotle pepper, apricot preserves, green chili peppers, raisins, cocoa, and ground almonds.

Lightly grease a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium high heat. When hot, add the pork and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains. Drain.

Add the onion mixture to the drained ground pork; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the preserves mixture, broth, and enchilada sauce; increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until it turns a rich mahogany color and is aromatic. Add the beans and cooked rice; cook for 2-3 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Meanwhile, heat the tortillas according to package directions.

To assemble, spoon about 1/3 cup of the pork filling down center of tortilla; there may be filling left over (reserve for another use). Sprinkle the cheese over the filling of each burrito. Fold sides toward center, overlapping edges. To serve, place the burrito, folded sides down, on individual plates. Garnish each serving with dollops of sour cream and the cilantro. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Enjoy!