As discussed in Episode 21, listener Chef Joel has created an amazing meal based on The Ben & Joey Show. Here’s what it involves:

Vegetarian burrito
Portabella mushrooms
Sautéed onions & bell peppers
Seasoned black beans
Spanish rice
Pico de gallo
Jack cheese
Nacho cheese
Hot sauce

On the side
Pico de gallo
Guacamole
Sour cream
Mac & cheese cake
Monster energy drink

And this is Joel’s description:

Ben & Joey are a perfect combination of comedy and action, like a good buddy cop movie. Thus, I have created for you the perfect blend of flavors. The burrito has combinations of hot & sweet flavors and smooth & chunky textures, highlighting the melding of comedy delights in the Ben & Joey podcast. The mac & cheese cakes, while not Mexican, are a little cherry on top of an otherwise perfect meal. Add an energy drink, and this truly is a dish that puts the zip in Ben & Joey’s day (Sadly, Zynergy and Venom are not available in my area).

I hope you enjoy the dish and maybe, someday, we can enjoy a delicious Symphony together. I’ve included the recipes to make everything from scratch along with a few shortcuts if you’re not so adventurous.

Thanks,
Chef Joel

Read the rest of the entry for recipes and more photos

Assembling the burrito
1 Large flour tortilla
Sautéed vegetables, hot
Black beans, hot
Spanish rice, hot
Lettuce, shredded
Pico de gallo
Jack cheese, shredded
Nacho cheese
Hot sauce, your favorite kind – hot as you like
1 side of sour cream
1 side of pico de gallo
1 side of guacamole

This dish isn’t too complex, but it does require several steps of preparation. Follow the recipes below to make everything from scratch, or do the cheater thing and buy the black beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, and nacho cheese in cans and jars. You can also buy the just-add-water-and-boil Spanish rice if you want. You will need to make the veggies from scratch, though (it’s not difficult).

Heat your veggies, black beans, rice, and nacho cheese on the stove or in the microwave and place in separate bowls before assembling the burrito – everything needs to be piping hot! Also, put your tortilla in the microwave for about 20 seconds; this will loosen it up and make it flexible and easier to work with.

Lay the tortilla out flat on a work surface. Add generous portions of the veggies, beans, rice, lettuce, pico de gallo, and Jack cheese to the tortilla, about an inch lower than the center. The trick here is not to put so much in that you can’t roll it up.

There are a few ways to roll a tortilla, but here’s my favorite way:
1) Fold the bottom edge of the tortilla over the filling.
2) Use a slightly firm grip to tighten the tortilla around the filling, tugging slightly toward you. This should make a tight package.
3) Fold the left and right edges in and hold them in place with your fingers as you…
4) …start rolling the tortilla away from you (from bottom to top). The folded-in sides should get caught up in the roll and make a nice, tight, and completely sealed package.
5) Place the burrito on a plate, resting it on the seam.

Once you’re done with this, it’s time to get the rest of the plate together. Ladle a generous scoop of nacho cheese on top of the burrito and drizzle some hot sauce on top of the nacho cheese, as much as you like. Place generous scoops of pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream on the side. You’re done with the burrito.

Black beans for the burrito
1# Black beans, use uncooked (not canned) beans
2 tbs. Peanut oil
1 White onion, finely chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs. Oregano, dried
2 tbs. Cumin, ground
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Black pepper
4 c. Cold water

Pour the dry beans into a large bowl and sift through them thoroughly, removing any stones or debris you find. Soak the beans overnight (8-12 hours) before cooking. Use enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. After soaking, drain them and set to the side.

Heat a large pot over mid-high heat for a few minutes and add the oil. Let it get hot for a couple of seconds, then add the onion. Cook the onion for 2 minutes and add the garlic. Cook this until it becomes fragrant (15 seconds or so), then add the oregano, cumin, bay leaf, salt, pepper. Stir this into the vegetables, and then pour in your water. Now, add your well-soaked, completely-drained beans and stir everything together. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, and then lower temperature to mid-low and cover. Cook this mixture for about 2 hours, stirring often. Taste the beans after 1½ hours to see if they’re tender enough – if not, cook longer and test them again to get them perfectly tender. Don’t be afraid to add more water if the pot is getting dry. When you like how tender they are, they’re done.

You may need to drain these at the end of this process if there’s too much liquid. We don’t want wet, saucy beans making our burrito all soggy.

The vegetables for the burrito
3 tbs. Peanut oil
3 Portabella mushrooms, sliced thick
1 Red bell pepper, seeded, de-veined, and sliced thin
1 Green bell pepper, seeded, de-veined, and sliced thin
1 White onion, sliced thin
2 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Salt

Heat a large skillet over high heat for 3 minutes. Add the oil – if it smokes slightly, your pan is perfectly hot. Add the veggies and season with oregano, cayenne, and salt. Sauté for approximately 4 minutes or until the onions become translucent and the peppers are limp. These are done – set them off to the side to await assembly into the burrito collective.

Spanish rice
1½ c. Chicken stock
2 tbs. Olive oil
½ White onion, finely chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
½ c. Tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. Oregano, dried
1 tsp. Cumin, ground
½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black pepper
1 c. Uncooked rice – DO NOT use Minute Rice; use the real stuff

Pour the chicken stock into a small pot and heat over mid-low heat – this needs to stay warm for later use in the dish.

Heat a small pot over mid-high heat. After a few minutes, add the olive oil. Then, add the onion, stirring every so often until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir it in, cooking for about 15 seconds. Add the tomatoes, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 more minute. Pour in the rice and stir well to coat the rice in all of the liquid. Now, add the hot chicken stock and stir it into the rice. Increase the heat to high and bring the rice/tomato/stock mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and remove it from the heat. DO NOT remove the lid to the pot for at least 15 minutes. The steam must remain trapped in order to cook the rice properly. It’s done.

Pico de gallo
6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
½ c. White onion, finely diced
1 Serrano chili, sliced paper-thin
⅓ c. Cilantro, minced
Juice from 1 lime
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in the fridge. Let the mixture rest for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to marry.

Guacamole
3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
Juice of 1 lime
½ tsp. Kosher salt
½ tsp. Black pepper
½ tsp. Ground cumin
½ tsp. Cayenne
3 tbs. Pico de gallo, recipe above

Combine the avocado halves, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne in a bowl. Mash this with a fork, making sure to leave the avocado slightly chunky. Fold in the pico de gallo. Cover with plastic and allow the guacamole to sit for an hour or so in the fridge before serving to allow the flavors to marry.

Nacho cheese
2 c. Milk
½# Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Hot sauce, if desired

Heat the milk in a pot over mid-high heat until it is steaming. Add the cheese and stir constantly until it is melted. Turn off the heat. Taste the cheese – if you want it hotter, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce to it and stir it in.

Mac & cheese cakes
For the macaroni & cheese
½# Macaroni noodles
2 c. Milk
½# Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

To assemble the cakes
1 c. Flour
3 Eggs, beaten
3 c. Bread crumbs
Peanut oil for frying
Sprinkle of salt & pepper

Cook the macaroni noodles until al dente, following the instructions on the back of the package. Drain them well. In a separate pot, heat the milk until steaming over medium heat. Once hot, add the cheese and the noodles. Turn the heat off and stir constantly until the cheese is completely melted. Pour the finished mac & cheese into a baking dish, like a 9×13 cake pan or a brownie pan. You want the mac & cheese to be about 1” deep in the pan. Cover this with plastic and put it in the fridge to cool completely.

When the mac is cold, it should have solidified in the pan. Now, take a circular cookie cutter (or any shape, I guess) and cut out as many circles from the mac as you can. Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs into 3 separate bowls. Take one of your macaroni circles and dredge it in the flour, making sure it is completely covered. Carefully get rid of the excess. Now, dip it in the beaten egg, coating it well. Finally, dip it into the bread crumbs to coat it completely. Set this on a cookie sheet to the side and repeat the process with the other macaroni circles.

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add enough peanut oil to the pan until it’s about ¼” deep. Grab a very small pinch of your bread crumbs and drop it into the oil. If it sizzles, you’re ready to cook. Place a mac circle on a metal spatula and use it to help you slide the mac circle carefully into the hot oil. Do this with as many circles as your skillet will comfortably hold – don’t crowd the pan. Check the first side after 1 minute. When the first side is a lovely golden brown, carefully flip it to the second side and cook, checking it after 1 minute. When it’s golden brown, remove the cakes to a paper-towel lined plate and season lightly with salt and pepper. They’re done!

Well, that’s pretty much the most awesome thing ever. Thanks, Joel!

You can hear us discuss this at the beginning of Episode 21.