Lamb Chili With Mushrooms (rick Bayless)

Total Time: 4 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 16 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 12 large dried pasilla peppers (about 4 oz total)
• 2 teaspoons dried mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 lbs lamb shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 1/2 lbs assorted mushrooms (i use crimini, shitake & oyster)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced epazote or 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce, to taste
• 3 tablespoons masa harina or 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• salt

Recipe

• 1 roast the unpeeled garlic on an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots, about 15 minutes; cool and peel.
• 2 while the garlic is roasting, stem and seed the chiles.
• 3 toast the chiles on another side of the griddle or skillet, 1 or 2 at a time, opening them out flat and pressing them down firmly with a spatula.
• 4 in a few seconds, when they crackle, flip them and press down to toast the other side.
• 5 in a small bowl, cover the chiles with hot water, and let them rehydrate for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to insure even soaking.
• 6 drain.
• 7 in a food processor or blender, combine the chiles and a 1/2 cup of water, along with the garlic, oregano, black pepper and cumin.
• 8 blend to a smooth puree, scraping down and stirring frequently (add more water if the mixture won't move through the blender).
• 9 with a rubber spatula, press the chile mixture through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl.
• 10 heat the oil in a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat.
• 11 when hot, add the lamb and brown thoroughly, about 8 minutes.
• 12 add the chile puree and stir for about 5 minutes as the mixture thickens.
• 13 stir in beef broth and simmer until lamb is tender, about 2 hours.
• 14 add mushrooms, epazote, hot sauce and masa harina.
• 15 partially cover and simmer gently over medium-low, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are soft and the sauce has reduced to coat the meat rather thickly, about 30 minutes.
• 16 taste and season with salt.