PREP TIME: 20 min
COOK TIME: 2 hours
SERVES: 8
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- 3½ lbs elk roast, cut into 1½-inch chunks
- 1 lb tomatillos
- 1 poblano pepper
- 2 jalapenos, with seeds removed, chopped
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 Anaheim peppers
- ½ white onion, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- Salt and pepper
TOPPING INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 avocados, thinly sliced
- 6-8 radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 4 oz cotija cheese, crumbled
PREPARATION
Sauce – Preheat oven to broil.
Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Slice each tomatillo in half and place on a baking sheet along with the cloves of garlic, onion, sliced jalapenos and whole Anaheim and poblano peppers. Roast about 15 minutes until pepper skins begin to brown and char, flipping halfway through.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cover with parchment paper to allow the skins to loosen on the tomatillos and peppers. Remove the skins as much as possible and discard.
To reduce spice, remove the seeds from the other peppers.
Place the roasted vegetables in a blender along with some stock. Puree until the mixture is smooth.
Meat
Cut the elk into bite-sized pieces, pat dry and salt.
Add olive oil to a Dutch oven or large cooking pot and brown small batches of elk on all sides on medium to high heat, then set aside.
Keep the heat on and pour the chicken stock into the same pan (careful as it might spatter) and be sure to scrape the browned bits off the bottom to add flavor and keep them from burning.
Add the browned elk back in, as well as the verde sauce, salt, pepper and oregano. Give it a good stir and simmer on low for about two hours or until the meat easily pulls apart with a fork. Add the cilantro and lime juice and stir. Salt and pepper to taste.
Plating
Top with sliced avocados, a lime wedge, thinly sliced radishes, cilantro and cotija cheese. Enjoy!