Slow Braised Lamb Shanks With Guajillo Pineapple Sauce Roasted Vegetables And Coconut Tamales Food

SLOW BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 160ºC/320ºF.
• Season the lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper. Brown the lamb shanks in a large, deep oven-proof pot/pan until well-browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, fry the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until soft and fragrant. Add the herbs and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds before adding the red wine and stock. Allow to come to a simmer then add the lamb shanks back into the sauce.
• Cover with a lid and place in the oven. Allow to braise slowly for 2-3 hours until the lamb is soft and succulent. Check on the lamb shanks half-way through cooking and add more stock if necessary.
• Remove from the oven and serve.

SLOW-BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH GUAJILLO-PINEAPPLE SAUCE, ROASTED VEGETABLES, AND COCONUT TAMALES

Steps:

• Make guajillo-pineapple sauce
• Wipe guajillo chiles clean with a damp cloth, then slice off stem ends and remove seeds. Preheat large skillet over medium heat, then toast chiles, turning frequently, until fragrant and beginning to darken, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl, cover with cold water, and soak 20 minutes.
• While guajillos are soaking, toast chiles de arbol in same skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to plate and cool.
• Drain guajillos and combine in blender with chiles de arbol, pineapple, garlic, cumin, cloves, canela, orange juice, and 1 cup water. Blend until very smooth.
• Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat and fry sauce, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon, 30 minutes. Mix in vinegar and sugar; season with salt. Strain sauce through fine sieve, discarding solids. Cool completely. (Sauce can be made ahead and stored, covered, in refrigerator. Before using, taste and add salt if needed.)
• Prepare lamb
• Combine orange zest and canela in medium bowl. Rinse lamb shanks and pat dry. Sprinkle liberally with salt, then with orange-canela mixture. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
• Arrange steamer rack in very large stockpot and add water to just below bottom of rack. Cover and bring water to boil.
• Place 1 parchment sheet on work surface and place 1 pineapple slice in center. Put 1 lamb shank, bone pointing upward, on top of pineapple, and spoon a thick coating of guajillo-pineapple sauce over meat. Draw up sides of parchment and tie tightly around bone with kitchen twine. Assemble 5 more pouches in same manner and place in steamer. Steam until meat is very tender and falling off the bone, about 2 1/2 hours.
• To serve, place each pouch on a plate, untie, and discard twine. Spoon some roasted vegetables onto parchment next to meat, and place 2 coconut tamales alongside.

SLOW-BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown shanks well in oil; this will take as long as half an hour (you can cover the pan to avoid spattering). Sprinkle with salt and pepper as they cook.
• Lower the heat, pour off the excess fat, add the wine or stock. Simmer over low heat for 1½ to 2 hours, covered, turning and adding water, about ¼ cup at a time, as necessary, until the meat is falling of the bone.
• Cool. Take meat off the bone and reserve the liquid. When the liquid is cool, skim the fat and reserve the juice. Use meat and juice in the following recipes: Tomato Sauce With Lamb and Pasta; Indian Lamb Curry With Basmati Rice; Chinese Braised Lamb Shanks.

COCONUT TAMALES

Steps:

• Soak corn husks in large bowl of hot water for 1/2 hour, then separate and continue to soak until pliable, up to 1/2 hour more. Tear one or two husks into 1/4-inch strips to use for tying the tamales.
• Boil 1 cup water in medium saucepan. Remove from heat and gradually stir in masa. Cover and let cool.
• Combine 1/3 cup water, sugar, small pinch salt, and vanilla bean, if using, in small saucepan. Bring to simmer, simmer for 5 minutes. Take pan off heat and stir in coconut and vanilla flavoring or extract, if using. Cool.
• In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, cream butter or shortening with baking powder, if using. Add masa and coconut mixtures, and beat until dough is smooth, fluffy, and light.
• Arrange steamer rack in very large stockpot and add water to just below bottom of rack. Cover and bring water to boil.
• Place 12 drained corn husks on work surface. Put 3 to 4 tablespoons masa dough into center of one husk and spoon some raisins on top. Fold long sides over filling, then tie ends of tamale shut with husk strips.
• Repeat process to make 12 tamales. Place upright, leaning against one another, in steamer. If necessary, insert pieces of crumpled foil between tamales to keep them upright. Cover and steam until dough is firm to touch and separates easily from husk, adding more water to pot as necessary, about 1 hour.
• Serve with Slow-Braised Lamb Shanks with Guajillo-Pineapple Sauce .