Squash and potato burritos

For a while back in my teens I dabbled with vegetarianism for all the wrong reasons. Less concerned about animal welfare than impressing certain meat hating friends, I was eventually swayed back to carnivorous ways by 4 gargantuan prawns in Portugal and then a beef curry from the local Chinese takeaway. Most vegetarians I know say bacon is the meat they crave the most, probably for that sweet, smoky taste, but it was the actual 'meaty' mouth feel I really missed. 

Happily you don't need meat to get this satisfying texture. Beans, squash, potato, pasta, mushrooms, olives and noodles, amongst other things, provide me with that 'meatiness' sometimes lacking in meatless dishes. Put two or three of these together and you may as well be chewing on some prime rib. These burritos really hit the spot for a Saturday brunch with no bacon, sausage or egg in sight. I like to pre wrap the tortillas, smother them in cheese and then grill, (broil) them with a little cheese also inside. That way you get toasted, crisp tortilla with lava like melted cheese on top and warm, melty filling inside.

Recipe : Squash and potato burritos

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 small squash, cut in half and seeded

1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

a handful of kale

1 tbsp black pitted olives

1 tbsp harissa paste

juice of one lemon

a little salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tortillas

1 cup grated cheese

sour cream and hot sauce to serve

Preheat the oven to 400oF and place the  potato, squash and onion onto a baking dish. Drizzle with the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Bake for around 40 - 50 minutes or until everything is soft. Remove and allow to cool. Remove the squash flesh from the skin and leave in fairly large chunks to match the potato.

Transfer the squash, potato, onion and 2 tsp oil to a pan set over medium heat and add the kale, olives, harissa and lemon juice. Fry gently, stirring frequently until the kale has wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning if you like.

Lay each tortilla out on a clean, flat surface and place a quarter of the filling in a line down the middle. Sprinkle with about an eighth of the cheese. Roll up and repeat with the other tortillas.

Place the burritos carefully onto a baking tray, ensuring that the join is at the bottom and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top evenly. Grill, (broil) under high heat until the edges of the tortillas are crisp and brown and the cheese is melted. Serve with the sour cream and hot sauce and enjoy. 

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