Monday, April 30, 2012

Chorizo and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps


Lately I have been all about lettuce wraps.  They just seem so fresh, and I love the crisp, crunchy leaves in lieu of soft taco shells.  Plus, they are healthier - you can cut so many calories by swapping out the taco shell for a lettuce wrap.  If you're not on the lettuce wrap bandwagon, then have no fear:  this filling would be just wonderful on a regular tortilla as well.

Now onto the filling:  holy cow this was good.  Chorizo is one of my favorite things ever, as are sweet potatoes.  And while I love this recipe for chorizo and potato tacos, I never would have thought to use sweet potatoes.  But the combination is really great.  The spiciness of the chorizo is nicely countered by the sweetness of the potato.  The corn provides another texture, and while I used frozen corn this time, I think fresh sweet corn would be absolutely great here.

You serve the wraps with some cilantro-lime yogurt sauce and feta cheese.  The cilantro-lime gives the whole dish another hit of bright freshness, while the yogurt cools down the spice a bit.  And the salty, briny flavor of the feta ties the whole thing together and gives the dish another dimension besides sweet + spicy.

I just absolutely loved this dinner.  I ate 3 wraps (oink oink) and had to stop myself from having a fourth.  And thankfully we had leftovers, because I turned them into a hash or sorts topped with a poached egg.  And THAT was out of this world.

I actually used soy chorizo in these because I went shopping at Trader Joe's and that's what they had, but if I hadn't known it wasn't real chorizo, I probably couldn't have told the difference.  Halfway through dinner, Joey proclaimed his love for chorizo, and I burst his bubble ;-)

If you're still finalizing your Cinco de Mayo menu, consider these wraps if you're looking for something a little healthier and different.

And if these aren't your cup of tea, here are a few other main dishes to consider:
Mexican-Style Steak Sandwiches
Portabello & Black Bean Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Sauce
Spicy Citrus Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Vegetable Enchiladas
The Famous Chicken Enchiladas
Chipotle Bean Burritos


Chorizo and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps
adapted from Perry's Plate


Chorizo-Sweet Potato Filling:
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh corn
  • 3 Tablespoons canola, divided
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • pinch of cayenne
  • pinch of sugar
  • kosher salt
  • 1 cup chopped white onion
  • 10-12 ounces chorizo, casings removed (soy or pork both work!)
  • juice from 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cilantro cream:
  • 1 cup  Greek yogurt 
  • 2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 T chopped fresh cilantro
  • pinch of salt
To assemble:
  • 1 head of leaf lettuce (green, red, butter, or Bibb), leaves separated, washed, and dried
  • 1 cup crumbled feta
  • Additional lime wedges, for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place sweet potato cubes and corn on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 T of the oil and sprinkle with cumin, cayenne, sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Use your hands to toss the vegetables and coat them well with the oil and spices.  Spread them into a single layer and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring a couple of times during roasting, until the potatoes are tender browned in spots.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the chorizo, breaking up the clumps with the woolens spoon.   Stir and cook until the chorizo is browned and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. Add the sweet potato mixture to the skillet, then stir in the lime juice and cilantro.  Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.
As the chorizo mixture is cooking, combine the sour cream, lime juice, and chopped cilantro in a small bowl. Stir to combine, adding a pinch of salt to taste.
Assemble the wraps by putting a couple spoonfuls of filling into the middle of a lettuce leaf. Drizzle with the cilantro cream sauce and sprinkle with feta.  Serve with extra lime wedges.



8 comments:

branny said...

My H just requested asian lettuce wraps but I think I'll make these instead. I also have a recipe for converting ground turkey to healthy 'chorizo' I might use.

Joanne said...

Even before going veg I used TJ's soyrizo instead of chorizo and I love it! You really can't tell the difference (and it's so much cheaper than regular chorizo. WIN.)

I actually have some in the fridge right now...perfect opportunity to make these!

elly said...

I really, really can't wait to make these. Even just a year ago, I was like, what's up with these sweet potato Mexican recipes? They sound so weird. And now, I LOVE sweet potatoes in Mexican dishes, with beans, etc. And of course I love chorizo. You may have even swayed me to try the soy kind. :)

Anonymous said...

Lettuce wraps usually make me think "asian cuisine" but i LOVE this mexican take on it! genius :)

Anonymous said...

I made these last night and they were so good I stuffed 4 of them in my face (oink, oink). I'm looking forward to having the leftovers for dinner tonight. I'm vegetarian so I used the TJ's soy chorizo and TJ's frozen fire-roasted corn. Yum!

Heather said...

This was excellent! Thank you!

Heather Lee Claggett said...

I've made these 3 times since you posted the recipe, totally obsessed with them. And my picky eater of a sister even liked them! Thank you so much for posting this!

Christine @ Christine's Kitchen Chronicles said...

Thank you for sharing this absolutely WONDERFUL recipe and stopping by to check out my blog review of it. I agree, it was simply amazing!!

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