Chili With Lamb And Black Beans

Total Time: 25 hrs 23 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 3/4 cups black beans, sorted rinsed
• 2 tablespoons ginger, fresh minced
• 2 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons thyme, fresh minced or
• 2 lbs lamb bones
• 2 teaspoons thyme, dried crumbled
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno, seeded, deveined
• 4 parsley sprigs
• 1 1/4 teaspoons marjoram, dried, crumbled
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper, fresh ground
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper, cayenne
• 2 large onions, chopped (yellow)
• 3/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 1/2 lbs lamb shoulder, ground
• 2 lbs italian tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/4 cups wine, light zinfandel
• salt

Recipe

• 1 for beans: soak beans overnight in 2 qt. water.
• 2 in a large saucepan, bring beans to a boil.
• 3 add lamb bones and bouquet garni and 1 crushed garlic clove.
• 4 reduce heat and simmer till beans are tender but not mushy.
• 5 skim occasionally and add more water if necessary to keep beans submerged 2 hrs.
• 6 for chili: heat 3 t. oil in large heavy saucepan over moderate heat.
• 7 add onions and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
• 8 add 2 cloves garlic, minced, and stir about 3 minutes.
• 9 transfer onion and garlic mixture to a plate, using a slotted spoon.
• 10 add remaining oil to pan.
• 11 increase heat to med. high.
• 12 add lamb and cook until no longer pink, breaking up with spoon, about 6 min.
• 13 return onion mixture to pan; add chili powder, ginger, thyme, red chili, marjoram, peppers and allspice.
• 14 stir 5 minutes.
• 15 add tomatoes ( and half of their liquid, if canned).
• 16 bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.
• 17 add 3/4 c of zinfandel.
• 18 simmer, skimming occasionally, for 30 minutes.
• 19 drain beans and reserve the cooking liquid.
• 20 discard the bones and garni.
• 21 add beans and remaining zinfandel to chili mixture.
• 22 salt and season as necessary.
• 23 simmer 30 minutes, adding bean cooking liquid as needed to keep chili moist (or soupy, as you like it).
• 24 this chili is best made ahead and allowed to season in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• 25 reheat before serving.