Lamb Adobo

I guess I am already getting into my Mexico state of mind once again. We are leaving for Cozumel, and more diving, next week. WE LOVE Mexican food and eat it all the time, but even more so when preparing for yet another visit to Mexico, especially to our beloved Cozumel.

For Christmas, our friends Angie and Brian gave us a delicious cookbook, The Elote Cafe Cookbook, by Jeff Smedstad. I was waiting for the right occasion to make something from it, and that I did. I made delicious lamb adobo, using his recipe as my guide.

Of course, I changed my recipe slightly. That’s just what I do. In fact, every chef does that. We always want to personalize our dishes. No matter how good something is, we always think, and most often do, make them better, or least make them our own, by tweaking things. Sometimes we tweak a lot, and other times, we only make minor adjustments. Even Chef Jeff Smedstad, the author of The Elote Cafe Cookbook, made adjustments after talking to the locals, for this particular dish. “[He} was over complicating the sauce and the way to make it better would be to make it simple” (p. 116). He needed to make it “simple yet elegant using the best ingredients and giving them a chance to shine” (p. 116). I made some medium adjustments with this recipe, but just enough to make it my own.

Lamb Adobo

Mr. Smedstad’s recipe called for lamb shanks, but I had a lamb roast. I also used the chilies I could find, and then added a little Black Onyx cocoa powder. The results …. !DELICIOSO! It got rave reviews from all.

4-5 lbs lamb roast

1 1/2 TBSP garlic

4 cups orange juice

2 pasilla peppers, diced

1-2 jalapeno chilies, diced

1 cinnamon stick

salt & pepper to taste

2-3 tsp cumin

2 TBSP oregano

2-3 bay leaves

1/4 tsp cloves

2 TBSP boiled vinegar

2-3 TBSP brown sugar

1 cup Black Onyx or black cocoa powder

Mix all the spices together and peppers together and place in a hot skillet with a little olive oil. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until they become aromatic and the peppers are tender.

Add the orange juice and the remaining ingredients and continue to cook for an additional 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the sauce has thickened a bit and is reduced by at least 1/3, place everything in the food processor and pulse until you have a smooth sauce. Make sure to remove the cinnamon stick and the bay leaves first though.

Pour the sauce into a large, deep dish, then place the lamb into the sauce, cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours before cooking. This will both flavor the lamb and tenderize the meat.

When ready to cook the dish, remove the lamb from the sauce and place in a VERY hot skillet with both olive oil and butter to sear on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Preheat the oven to 400*F or 205*C.

Deglaze the pan with red wine and add to the lamb and sauce. Roast for about 2- 2 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches about 145* F or 63*C for a delicious medium rare, or longer if you like it cooked a little more. For the best results, lamb is typically cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for medium rare, 160°F (71°C) for medium, and 170°F (77°C) for well done. It’s important to use a meat thermometer to ensure the lamb reaches the desired level of doneness, as overcooking can result in dry and tough meat.

When the meat is cooked to your satisfaction, remove it from the heat and let it set for about 7-10 minutes before slicing it. I like ALL my red meats rare-medium rare, but especially lamb. For me, that is just perfect.

Slice the meat thin, then top with the sauce, toasted sesame seeds, which of course I forgot to do, 🙂 pickled onions Pickled Onions and cilantro.

!Esta mui delicioso! I served it with some Mexican vegetables, rice, Mexican potatoes, a dry Malbec on the side and lime creme brulee for dessert.

Have delicious day and have a great day. Make everyday delicious and great. Stay safe, stay well and stay warm. ‘Til next time.