Cat Cora’s variation on the traditional Mexican Chile Verde uses lamb instead of pork and omits the chiles to tone down the heat level. The result is a savory stew perfect for all palates.

Makes 8 (1-cup) servings.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours

Nutritional Information

For 1 serving
Calories: 456
Sodium: 535mg
Fat: 27g
Carbohydrates: 9g
Cholesterol: 147mg
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 39g

Lamb and Tomatillo Stew

Ingredients

3 1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground McCormick® Gourmet Collection Black Peppercorns, Tellicherry
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef broth
4 tomatillos, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Rosemary, Crushed
2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Thyme Leaves
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cumin, Ground
1 leaf McCormick® Gourmet Collection Turkish Bay Leaves
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Season lamb cubes with sea salt and pepper. Heat oil in 5-quart Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add 1/2 of the lamb cubes; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove lamb from pan. Repeat with remaining lamb cubes. Add onions and garlic to pan; cook and stir on medium heat 5 to 8 minutes or until onions are softened. Sprinkle with flour. Cook and stir 1 minute.

2. Stir wine into pan. Bring to boil, stirring to release browned bits in bottom of pan. Return lamb to pan. Add broth, tomatillos, rosemary, thyme, cumin and bay leaf. Return to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

3. Remove lamb from pan. Bring sauce to boil on high heat. Cook 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Skim fat from sauce. Return lamb to sauce; cook until heated through.

4. Ladle stew into serving bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream and cilantro.

Tips

Test Kitchen Tip: Tomatillos are related to the tomato and are green in color and enclosed in a papery husk. Choose firm fruit with fresh looking husks. They are available in the produce section of most groceries or in Hispanic markets.

This recipe was created by Cat Cora, Bon Appétit Executive Chef, for the McCormick® Gourmet Collection.