Recipes from Mexico :: Mexican Main Dishes Meat
2 Tbsp. lard or canola (or other vegetable) oil
1 (3 pound) beef top round roast, tied
2 large white onions, cut into 3/8-in. thick slices
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3 c. beef stock or broth
4 dried pequín chiles or 1 dried seeded de árbol chile
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 lbs. fresh tomatillos, husked, or 2 (13 ounce) cans tomatillos, drained
2 large fresh poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, de-veined,
and cut into 1/2-in. wide strips
2 chayote squash
12 small new red potatoes, unpeeled
1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro
Heat lard or oil in large Dutch oven over med. heat until hot. Add beef; cook, turning occasionally, until brown on every side, 10 to 15 mins. Remove to plate. Add onions and garlic to pan; sauté over med. heat until soft, 6 to 8 mins. Add stock, pequín chiles, thyme and oregano; heat over med.-high heat to boiling. Add tomatillos to pan. If using fresh tomatillos, cook over med. heat until fork-tender, about 10 mins. Add beef to pan, pushing it down so it is surrounded by liquid. Place 3/4 of poblano chile strips on top of beef. Heat over med.-low heat to simmering; simmer, partially covered, 2 1/2 hours.
Pare and seed chayote; cut into 1 x 1 1/2-in. pieces. Add chayote and potatoes to beef; simmer, covered, over med.-low heat until potatoes and beef are fork-tender, 30 to 40 mins. longer. Remove beef, potatoes and chayote to warm serving platter; keep warm, covered. Process 1/2 the cooking sauce in blender at a time until smooth. Return sauce to pan; cook over med. heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 4 c., 20 to 25 mins. Stir in cilantro.
Garnish beef with remaining poblano chile strips. To serve, cut beef across grain into thin slices. Pass sauce separately.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
