Oaxacan Lamb In Spicy Tomatillo Sauce
Serves: 3
Jadyn Kohler
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
33
Spice
40
Sweetness
53
Sourness
46
mins
Prep time (avg)
3.8
Difficulty
Ingredients:
2.5 cups
Cilantro (chopped)2 tbsps
Vegetable OilDirections:
1
Let fat rise to top and skim off
2
Preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle
3
Put avocado leaves in bottom of a heavy medium pot with a tight-fitting lid
4
Sprinkle lamb shanks all over with 2 teaspoons salt and arrange in pot (they don't have to be in 1 layer)
5
Roast, covered, until meat is very tender, about 3 hours
6
Meanwhile, slit chiles lengthwise, then stem, seed, and devein
7
Tear chiles into roughly 1-inch pieces (you should have about 1 1/2 cups)
8
Heat a comal or large heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles, stirring constantly, until more pliable and slightly changed in color, 1 to 2 minutes
9
Transfer to a bowl
10
(Chiles will crisp as they cool
11
) Cover tomatillos with water in a medium saucepan and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes
12
Drain well, then purée with chiles, garlic, cilantro, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a blender (in batches if necessary) until chiles are ground to small flecks
13
Transfer shanks to a cutting board to cool
14
Strain lamb juices remaining in pot into a glass measuring cup
15
Coarsely shred meat, discarding bones
16
Heat oil in a heavy medium pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook one fourth of tomatillo sauce (it will spatter), stirring, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes
17
Add remaining sauce and lamb juices and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes
18
Add lamb
19
Thin sauce with water if necessary
20
Simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 4 minutes
21
Preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle
22
Put avocado leaves in bottom of a heavy medium pot with a tight-fitting lid
23
Sprinkle lamb shanks all over with 2 teaspoons salt and arrange in pot (they don't have to be in 1 layer)
24
Roast, covered, until meat is very tender, about 3 hours
25
Meanwhile, slit chiles lengthwise, then stem, seed, and devein
26
Tear chiles into roughly 1-inch pieces (you should have about 1 1/2 cups)
27
Heat a comal or large heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles, stirring constantly, until more pliable and slightly changed in color, 1 to 2 minutes
28
Transfer to a bowl
29
(Chiles will crisp as they cool
30
) Cover tomatillos with water in a medium saucepan and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes
31
Drain well, then purée with chiles, garlic, cilantro, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a blender (in batches if necessary) until chiles are ground to small flecks
32
Transfer shanks to a cutting board to cool
33
Strain lamb juices remaining in pot into a glass measuring cup
34
Let fat rise to top and skim off
35
Coarsely shred meat, discarding bones
36
Heat oil in a heavy medium pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook one fourth of tomatillo sauce (it will spatter), stirring, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes
37
Add remaining sauce and lamb juices and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes
38
Add lamb
39
Thin sauce with water if necessary
40
Simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 4 minutes