Photography by
Kemper Studios
|
|
|
This dish is a genuine taste of Colorado.
The spicy yet sweet barbecue sauce will make you regret ever
purchasing bottled sauce at the grocery store! Dish created by Lawrence Johnson.
Briarhurst Manor
Kenneth Healey, owner
404 Manitou Avenue
Manitou Springs, Colorado
719-685-1864
|
Redmesa Barbecued Colorado Lamb Shanks with Grilled Vegetables and Bluecorn Chapattis
by Lawrence Johnson
We started this dish by thinking about what we feel would best represent the all-round flavors of Colorado. We thought that having lamb be our main dish would be a great way to show what we like the most about modern Colorado foods: involved and caring ranchers, superior products and great taste. Then we added a bit of the historical flavors that have influenced Colorado dishes for so many years: chilies, tomatoes, peppers, and a variety of southwestern spices. We put in some Colorado-raised vegetables to round out our dish, and also because grilled vegetables have a delicious and unique flavor. We then finished off this dish by adding a historically authentic type of flatbread, one whose history can be traced back to the beginning of bread making. This recipe is easily done in the home kitchen, and it is simple to prepare the different elements of this dish ahead of time so it can be quickly finished off when you are ready to start grilling.
Lamb Shanks
Begin by immersing 6 lamb hind shanks overnight in the following marinade:
1 qt. apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cups mild salsa
6 garlic cloves
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp. cracked black peppercorns
2 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. mustard powder
Redmesa Barbecue Sauce
Prepare the Redmesa Barbecue Sauce
2 cups apple cider
¼ cup red chili powder
3 minced Fresno peppers
1 minced jalapeño pepper
½ cup diced green chili
2 minced garlic cloves
2 cups crushed red tomato
½ cup tomato paste
1 cup minced white onion
½ cup honey
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. coriander
pinch of ground clove
4 oz. chopped dark chocolate
Combine all of the above ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, and allow to cook for about 1 hour. Whisk frequently. Transfer to a bowl, allow to cool, and then refrigerate overnight before using.
Dish
To finish this dish, heat a grill (preferably charcoal) to a high heat. Remove the lamb from the marinade and place it on the grill. Turn the shank so that all sides are seared quickly, stand the shank up on the flat end, and reduce the grill heat to low. Baste the shank with a thick coat of the barbeque sauce and cover the grill. Keep the heat low and baste the lamb shank thoroughly with the barbeque sauce every 5 to 10 minutes throughout the cooking process. We prefer to serve our lamb medium rare to medium, which usually takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Give the lamb one final thick basting right before serving.
If you wish to finish this dish as we have done, prepare the chapattis and grilled vegetables as listed.
Bluecorn Chapattis
2 cups blue cornmeal
2 cups white flour
1 tsp. salt
1¼ cups water
2 tbsp. clarified butter
2 tbsp. minced parsley
2 tbsp. mustard seed
2 tbsp. brunoised red pepper
In a mixing bowl, combine the two flours and salt and mix well. Make a well in the center and add the butter and water. Mix the flour into the liquid and knead for at least 10 minutes. Add the parsley, mustard seed, and red pepper and knead for about 2 more minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough in a towel and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes, but not more than 2 hours. Form the dough into plum-sized balls, then flatten the balls on a floured board until very thin in a circle about 6 inches in diameter. Place the dough on a hot griddle and cook until bubbles begin to form on the surface. Flip the chapattis over and cook for only about 20 to 30 more seconds. Place cooked chapattis in a napkin-lined basket and cover; be sure to serve warm.
For the vegetables: Cook some of your favorite vegetables in a mesh grill basket . We like to use things such as green beans, fava beans, baby squashes, tomatillos, new potatoes, and baby tomatoes. Keep the seasoning light, as there is plenty of flavor on the plate already; just a little bit of salt, pepper, and maybe a bit of finely cut basil and sage. Drizzle the vegetables while they cook with some of the barbeque sauce for a unique flavor.
|
|
