Charro's Chamarro

[kirra]

Charro's Chamarro
Lamb Shanks
Chef's Night Out

Ingredients:

1 pound black beans
1 head garlic, cleaned and whole
1 pound uncured bacon, 1-inch dice
3 pounds lambs shanks (about 3)
1 pound onions (2 large), large dice
2 ounces chipotle en adobo, chopped
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 ounces cilantro, chopped + more for garnish

Preparation:

Wash beans, discarding water, 2 to 3 times. Put beans in a medium-size pan with 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil. Adjust heat to maintain a slow boil.

Remove loose husks from garlic head and cut tips off the ends. Add whole head to boiling beans.

In a 10-quart pan, fry bacon to medium-crisp. Remove from pan, leaving 1/3 of the bacon grease in pan. Add lamb shanks to pan, and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

In same pot, cook onion over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the chipotle and tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.

Add bacon, lamb and boiling beans with water to the pan. Cook for 1 1/2 hours on slow boil.

To another quart of water, add the salt. Stir to dissolve and add to the lamb and beans. Cook for another 20 minutes, or until meat falls off the bone.

Add cilantro. Serve in a large pot or bowl, with ladle and garnish of cilantro. Serves 8-10

Nutritional Info:
Per serving: 520 calories
26 g protein
37 g carbohydrate
30 g fat (11 g saturated)
71 mg cholesterol
1,193 mg sodium
11 g fiber.