Lamb Cheek And Black-eyed Pea Chili

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 5 lbs lamb cheeks, cleaned and trimmed
• salt
• pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb thick slab bacon, cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and very finely chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, finely diced
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle amber ale or 1 (12 ounce) bottle porter
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups canned whole italian tomatoes, crushed
• 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and minced
• 1 lb dried black-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• smoked cheddar cheese
• cilantro leaf
• creme fraiche

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, combine the coriander, paprika and cumin and toss with the lamb cheeks. season with salt and pepper.
• 2 in a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tbsp of the oil. add half of the lamb and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes. transfer the lamb to a plate. add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil and brown the remaining lamb over moderate heat. transfer the lamb to a plate.
• 3 add the bacon to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly crisp, about 7 minutes. add the onion, garlic and jalapenos and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
• 4 return the lamb cheeks to the casserole along with any accumulated juices. add the ale, chicken stock, tomatoes, chipotles, black-eyed peas and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. cover and cook over very low heat until the meat and beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. season the chili with salt and pepper. spoon off the fat from the surface and discard the cinnamon stick. serve the chili in bowls. pass the smoked cheddar, cilantro and creme fraiche at the table.