- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 lamb shanks
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 dried ancho chiles – chopped, stemmed and seeded
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- salt to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heat oil in large Dutch oven or enamel baking pot. Sear shanks on all sides and set aside. In the same pot, saute onion and garlic 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 ancho chilies, tomatoes and chicken stock. Season with cumin, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Boil briefly, then return shanks to pan.
- Cover and bake in preheated oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Meat should be just ready to fall off the bone.
- To make the glaze: Cover 6 ancho chilies with boiling water, and soak for 10 minutes. In a food processor, combine chilies, 1 cup water, honey and orange zest. Process until smooth; set aside.
- To make the topping: In a small bowl, mix together yogurt, cilantro and salt. Cover, and refrigerate.
- When the shanks are done, remove them from the Dutch oven, and place them into an oiled roasting pan. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spread glaze over shanks and return to oven until light crust forms, 6 to 10 minutes. Serve on large plates surrounded by tomato base and topped with the refreshing yogurt mixture.