**** GF Braised Lamb Shank Enchilada****

****GF BRAISED LAMB SHANK ENCHILADAS****

                                 

 I had these lamb shanks hanging around my fridge waiting for me to braise them but I had a pretty heavy work load this week from school and there was just no way that braising them and having them for dinner the same night was going to happen.

So I threw some fresh tomato juice I had in the fridge, left over from freezing a batch of tomatoes, into my dutch oven and filled it a little over half way. (you can use stock if you'd like or what ever liquid tickles your fancy)




I added some cumin, smoked paprika, smashed garlic, a pablano pepper seeded and chopped, one sliced onion, one sliced potato, some fresh oregano and basil, sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper. I let all those guys hang out together and mingle while I heated a skillet on med heat. I turned on the oven to 450 degrees to preheat.


I mixed together a rub of smoked paprika, cumin, pepper, and garlic powder and I rolled the shanks one at a time until coated. I poured in a good splash of pure sunflower oil in to the hot skillet. After a minute or two I put the shanks in the pan and seared those babies on all sides until golden. This happens pretty fast. I think I have done about 20 minutes of work at this point.


I got those little shanks tucked into their nice brothy bed and poured more liquid in to cover. Then I threw them in the oven and forgot about them for 3 hours. They came out looking so good! 


Mmm-mmm. If it hadn't been 10:30 at night those little lambkins would have been history but it was too late and my Mr. had made the most divine sweet potato burgers on the planet for dinner so I was full.  
The shanks had to hang out for one more day. I pulled them out and put them in a bowl and covered them with plastic wrap. Then I stuck my immersion blender into the dutch oven and smoothed out the chunks of veggies rolling around in there. Threw that in to a container and checked them into the fridge for the night.


Went to school the next day and got my learning on. When I came home, I preheated the oven to 350. Then I diced up the shank meat, added some chopped onion, cumin seed, and a little bit of the sauce to a skillet and heated. I put the remaining sauce in a pot with some more smokey paprika, a bit of sumac, some cayenne, a splash of cider vinegar, and about 16 oz of diced tomato in puree. That heated on medium heat while I heated tortillas for the enchiladas and filled them with the lamb. 


I put about 5 ladlefuls of the sauce in the bottom of my baking dish. I placed in the enchiladas, covered with more sauce, and sealed them up in some foil. They baked for 20-25 minutes with the foil and then another 5 with out foil and with cheese on top until gold and bubbly.


It was worth the effort and wait! And because of my hectic week, you get two recipes in one. Enjoy!