Spicy Mexican Lamb Stew Recipes

SPICY MEXICAN LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C fan/ gas mark 4 / 350F.
• Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large ovenproof saucepan or cast iron casserole dish. Add the onion and cook on a gentle heat, with the lid on, for about 3 minutes, until the onions are softened but not brown.
• Add the garlic, chilli, cumin, paprika and cocoa. Stir well and cook for 1 more minute with the lid off. Add a splash of water if it gets too dry.
• Next add in the lamb. Stir well to coat the meat in the onions and spices and then add the tomatoes, plus salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring the stew to the boil and then put the lid on and put in your preheated oven for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes add the beans and red/yellow pepper and continue cooking for another 45 minutes (1 hour 30 in total).
• While the stew is in the oven, make your salsa by combining all the salsa ingredients in a small bowl and setting it aside to allow the flavours to develop.
• When the stew is ready, remove from the oven and stir through the chopped coriander and lime juice, if using. Serve with tortillas or rice and the salsa.

MEXICAN-STYLE LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Heat a large, non-stick pan over a high heat. Toss the lamb with seasoning then fry in batches until browned all over (there should be enough fat on the lamb so you won't need oil). Scoop out with a slotted spoon and add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook for 7 minutes until the onions have started to soften. Add the chilli paste, oregano and spices, and stir, then cook for 3-4 minutes. Return the lamb to the pan and stir until coated in the onion and spices.
• Pour in the vinegar, tomatoes, chicken stock, sugar and peppers. Simmer for 1 hour then check the lamb. If not tender enough, cook for another 20-30 minutes. Serve with the accompaniments and rice.

SPICY LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Sear the lamb on all sides: Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel. Drying the lamb this way first will help the lamb pieces brown. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy, high-sided pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium high heat. When the pot is hot, add the lamb pieces in batches, being careful not to crowd them. Cook, turning as needed so that the lamb pieces brown evenly on all sides, for 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• Sauté onions, peppers, chiles, garlic: Return the pot to medium-high heat. Add the onions, dried peppers and red bell peppers and stir to coat with the oil in the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
• Make a bouquet garni with parsley, thyme, bay leaf: Make a bouquet garni by placing the parsley, thyme and bay leaf in the center of a doubled over cheesecloth square. Gather the ends and secure with kitchen string.
• Add spices, tomatoes, lamb, stock, raisins, herbs, simmer and cook: Stir in the paprika, cumin, and cardamom and cook for a minute. Add the puréed (or cooked tomatoes put through a food mill) tomatoes, lamb, chicken stock, raisins and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil over high heat, decrease heat to low. Cook, partially covered, for about 3 hours, or until lamb is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over couscous or rice (gluten-free option). Recipe adapted from a Village Pub lamb tagine recipe in the Niman Ranch Cookbook .

WARM-SPICED SAUCY LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Toasted Cauliflower Crumbs:
• Coarsely chop cauliflower and pulse in a food processor until about the size of grains of rice (or, you can very finely chop with a knife instead). You should have about 2 cups.
• Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook cauliflower, stirring often, until golden brown all over and charred in spots, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Let cool in skillet.
• Lemony Mint Yogurt:
• Mix yogurt, mint, and lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Stew and assembly:
• Season lamb shanks very generously all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, cook lamb shanks in a single layer, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 8-12 minutes per batch. As the shanks finish cooking, transfer to a large plate.
• Reduce heat to medium; add onions and garlic, cut side down, to the same pot and cook, tossing onions occasionally, until onions are browned in spots and garlic is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add cinnamon and crushed coriander and cook, stirring constantly, until spices are very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add harissa paste and cook, stirring often and scraping bottom of pot, until vegetables are coated and paste is slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add 7 cups water, stirring to release any bits stuck on bottom of pot. Season generously with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Return lamb shanks to pot and bring stew back up to a simmer. Cover with a lid, leaving slightly askew so steam can escape, and cook, adjusting heat to maintain a very gentle simmer and skimming foam from surface as needed, until meat is tender and easily pulls away from bones, 1 1/2-2 hours.
• Transfer lamb shanks to a cutting board and let cool 10-15 minutes; keep liquid at a simmer. Pull meat from bones and tear into bite-size pieces. Add bones back to pot as you go. Transfer meat to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Simmer bones in broth, uncovered, until liquid is thick and very flavorful, 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat; add meat back to pot and let cool uncovered (bones and all) until no longer steaming. Cover pot and chill stew at least 12 hours (you can skip this step, but it will dramatically improve the flavor).
• Uncover stew and spoon off half to three-quarters of fat on the surface; discard. Gently reheat stew until barely simmering. Pluck out and discard bones. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle stew into bowls and serve with Toasted Cauliflower Crumbs, Mint Yogurt, harissa, and olives, mint leaves, and/or preserved lemon as desired.
• Do Ahead
• Yogurt can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Stew can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

MEXICAN CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins or until softened and starting to turn golden, adding the garlic for the final min. Stir in the sugar, chipotle paste and tomatoes. Put the chicken into the pan, spoon over the sauce, and simmer gently for 20 mins until the chicken has cooked (add a splash of water if the sauce gets too dry).
• Remove the chicken from the pan and shred with 2 forks, then stir back into the sauce. Scatter with a little red onion, the coriander, and serve with remaining red onion, tortillas or rice.
• If you want to use a slow cooker, cook the onion and garlic as above, then put into your slow cooker with the sugar, chipotle, tomatoes and chicken. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours. Remove the chicken and shred then serve as above.