Recipe provided by Chef Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due in Austin, Texas; courtesy of American Lamb Board (www.americanlamb.com)
Makes 8 servings
For the achiote lamb:
2 lbs. lamb shoulder
2 t. salt
1/4 c. achiote paste
1/4 c. orange juice
For the longanisa sausage:
2 lbs. ground lamb
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. salt
1 T. ground chipotle chile powder
1 t. black pepper
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. brown sugar
1/2 t. Mexican oregano
1/2 t. granulated garlic
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground allspice
Pinch of ground clove
For the charred leek salsa:
1 leek
1 small onion, halved, skin left on
1 jalapeño pepper
3 T. apple cider vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. dried Mexican oregano
1 t. sugar
To serve:
1/2 c. chopped onions
24 corn tortillas
Cilantro
One day prior to serving, preheat the oven to 300°F. Season lamb shoulder with salt, then mix the orange juice and achiote paste together. Rub the lamb shoulder well with the paste. Place in a small roasting pan, cover tightly with foil, and roast for 4 hours, or until tender. Cool completely, then shred finely, discarding the bones. Refrigerate.
To make the longanisa sausage, mix all of the sausage ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
To make the salsa, preheat a gas or woodburning grill. Cut the leek lengthways and soak in cold water to remove any sand or grit. Char the leek until blackened and charred over high heat, then char the onions very well, cut size down, until very blackened. Alternately, place the onions, cut side up, and the leek under the broiler and cook until nicely charred. Allow the leek and onions to cool, then peel the onions. Roughly chop the leek and onions, and place in a blender with the remaining salsa ingredients. Puree until smooth.
To serve, place a large cast iron pan over high heat. Cook the longanisa sausage until crispy and cooked through, stirring often and breaking up the meat into small bits. Once completely cooked and crispy, add the shredded lamb and cook, stirring often, until crispy.
Heat the tortillas. Serve the mixed (“Campechana”) meats on a tortilla, topped with some raw onion, cilantro and the leek salsa.