Beef Main Mexican

Braised lamb tortillas

Name: Braised lamb tortillas
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 215 min
Total time: 285 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: /mexican
Ingredients: 4 ancho chillies, seeds removed (see note); 1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes; 400g can chopped tomatoes; 3 garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 6 whole black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; 1 tablespoon sunflower oil; 1.8kg lamb leg, trimmed; 1 cinnamon quill; 1 fresh bay leaf (see note); 12 small flour tortillas; Sour cream and lime wedges, to serve; 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar; 1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice; 1/2 jalapeno chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped; 1/4 green cabbage, finely shredded (a mandoline is ideal); 1/4 small savoy cabbage, finely shredded (a mandoline is ideal); 1 bunch radishes, cut into matchsticks; 1/2 cup finely chopped coriander leaves, plus extra leaves to serve; 12 canned tomatillos (Mexican tomatoes - see note), husks removed; 2 jalapeno chillies, seeds removed, sliced; 1 cup coriander leaves, chopped; 1 garlic clove, sliced

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by David Prior

delicious. contributor

Oct 03, 2015

Your guests will go mad for these Mexican-inspired lamb tortillas.

4 ancho chillies, seeds removed (see note)
1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes
400g can chopped tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1.8kg lamb leg, trimmed
1 cinnamon quill
1 fresh bay leaf (see note)
12 small flour tortillas
Sour cream and lime wedges, to serve

Cabbage & radish slaw

1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice
1/2 jalapeno chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1/4 green cabbage, finely shredded (a mandoline is ideal)
1/4 small savoy cabbage, finely shredded (a mandoline is ideal)
1 bunch radishes, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup finely chopped coriander leaves, plus extra leaves to serve

Tomatillo salsa

12 canned tomatillos (Mexican tomatoes - see note), husks removed
2 jalapeno chillies, seeds removed, sliced
1 cup coriander leaves, chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2.

Cook ancho chillies in a frypan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and place in a bowl. Add 1L (4 cups) boiling water and stand for 20 minutes or until softened. Strain, reserving liquid. Whiz soaked chillies and 1 cup (250ml) reserved soaking liquid in a blender with chilli flakes, tomato, garlic, oregano, peppercorns, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
3.

Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole over medium-high heat. Season lamb, then cook for 6-8 minutes each side until browned. Add cinnamon and bay leaf, then pour chilli mixture over lamb. Cover and cook in oven for 3 hours, turning halfway through, or until lamb is very tender and falling off the bone. Rest in pan until cool enough to handle. Reduce oven to 160°C.
4.

Meanwhile, for the slaw, place sugar, lime juice and jalapeno in a bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Stand for 3 minutes, then toss with the green and savoy cabbage, radish and coriander. Set aside.
5.

For the tomatillo salsa, place tomatillos, jalapeno, coriander and garlic in a blender and whiz until a coarse sauce. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Stand for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
6.

Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon quill from the casserole and discard, then transfer the lamb to a board. Shred the meat with 2 forks, discarding the bone, then return meat to the sauce. Add more water if it seems a little dry and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover, return to oven and cook for a further 20 minutes or until rich and thick. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in the oven for the final 5 minutes to warm through.
7.

Remove the tortillas and meat from the oven. Arrange tortillas on plates, top with meat, slaw, sour cream, salsa and extra coriander. Serve with lime wedges.