Chilean Lamb Casserole Recipes

LAMB AND WHITE BEAN CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook, breaking up with a fork, until well browned, 5 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Transfer meat to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the onion and poblano peppers. Cook until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Finely chop 2 tablespoons of the cilantro stems and add to the pot. Stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook 2 minutes. Add the chile powder, coriander and cumin, and cook 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it begins to turn brown.
• Return the lamb to the pot. Stir in 4 cups water, the beans and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes; add more water if the chili becomes too thick. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Ladle into bowls, and top with a dollop of yogurt and a squeeze of lime. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

LAMB AND CRANBERRY CHILI

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the pan and strain excess oil.
• Carefully wipe any excess oil from the pan; be careful as the oil will still be hot. Add lamb and ground beef and cook and stir until cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard grease.
• Add all diced tomatoes, water, kidney beans, bouillon cubes, 1/2 cup ketchup, jalapeno pepper, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chile paste, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons Mediterranean seasoning, cayenne, and chili powder. Stir contents to combine evenly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.
• Taste and add additional ketchup, cinnamon, and Mediterranean seasoning if needed. Remove from heat and stir in cranberries.

LAMB CHILI WITH MASA HARINA DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Make chili:
• Simmer dried chiles in 2 cups water, covered, in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until very soft, about 20 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking liquid, then drain in a colander. Stem chiles (do not remove seeds), then purée in a blender with reserved cooking liquid until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Reserve purée.
• Pat lamb dry, then sprinkle with pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat 2 tablespoons lard in a 6-quart wide heavy pot or a 3-inch-deep straight-sided skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown lamb in 4 batches (without crowding), turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add remaining tablespoon lard to pot, then cook onion, garlic, bay leaves, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add cumin and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Stir in reserved chile purée and chipotles and simmer, stirring frequently and scraping up brown bits from bottom of pot, 5 minutes. Add lamb along with any juices accumulated in bowl and remaining 3 cups water, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until lamb is tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Make dumplings:
• Stir together masa harina, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Blend in lard pieces with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until dough is moistened (do not overmix).
• Skim fat off chili and discard bay leaves, then drop 8 or 9 heaping tablespoons of dough onto simmering chili, about 2 inches apart. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, covered, until tops of dumplings are dry to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro.

LAMB CHILI

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until just translucent, about 3 minutes. Add both chilis, tomatoes, broth, oregano, cumin and allspice. Bring mixture to boil. Cover pan and simmer until chilis are tender, approximately 30 minutes.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Puree sauce in batches in blender. Return sauce to same pan. Add lamb. Cover and bake until lamb is almost tender, about 50 minutes. Uncover pan and simmer chili over medium-low heat until lamb is very tender and liquids are thickened to sauce consistency, about 25 minutes. Add kidney beans and simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before serving.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH ANCHO CHILE MARINADE

Steps:

• Combine wine, oil, garlic, 3 tablespoons oregano, ancho chile powder, lemon juice, 1 green onion, sugar, salt, and pepper in blender. Blend mixture until smooth. Transfer marinade to 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add lamb and turn to coat evenly. Cover dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Grill lamb with some of marinade still clinging to surface until lamb is cooked to desired doneness, 15 to 16 minutes per side for medium-rare (130°F). Transfer lamb to carving board. Let lamb rest 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, finely chop remaining green onion and 1 tablespoon oregano leaves; combine in small bowl.
• Thinly slice lamb across grain. Arrange lamb slices on platter. Pour over any accumulated juices. Sprinkle with onion-oregano mixture and serve.
• * Available in the spice section of many supermarkets and at Latin markets.