Pork with Blackeyed Pea Chili &Toasted Cornbread

Recipe by Michael Symon

From Super Bowl Blowout

This recipe originally appeared in Food & Wine February, 2008.

The original recipe can be found here http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pork-cheek-and-black-eyed-pea-chili.

I scaled down the recipe and cooked it to my taste.


Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 pounds cleaned and trimmed pork shoulder - cut into 2-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeños, seeded and very finely chopped
1 red bell peppers, finely diced
1/2 bottle of One 12-ounce bottle amber ale
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 cup canned whole Italian tomatoes, crushed
1 canned chipotles in adobo, seeded and minced
1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed
1 small cinnamon stick
Shredded smoked cheddar cheese, cilantro leaves and sour cream, for serving

Method

In a large bowl, combine the coriander, paprika and cumin and toss with the pork.

Season with salt and pepper.

In a wok(i am chinese, ok), heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.

Add half of the pork and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and brown the remaining pork over moderate heat. Transfer the pork to the plate.

Add the bacon to the wok and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly crisp, about 7 minutes.

Add the onion, garlic, jalapeños and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

Return the pork cheeks to the wok along with any accumulated juices. Add the ale, chicken stock, tomatoes, chipotles, black-eyed peas and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil.

Transfer to the slow cooker. Cover and cook over very low heat until the meat and beans are tender, about 3 hours or longer

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 crème fraîche at the table.

MAKE AHEAD The pork chili can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.


SERVE WITH Toasted Cornmeal Corn Bread.

ONE 9-BY-13-INCH CORN BREAD

This sweet, moist corn bread makes a perfect accompaniment to the meaty pork chili, though it's quite delicious all on its own. Toasting the cornmeal first gives the corn bread a heartier flavor.

Ingredients

2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup honey, warmed
2 large eggs, beaten
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Oil a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan.

In a medium skillet, toast the cornmeal over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the milk with the honey and eggs.

Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and whisk until moistened.

Add the butter and whisk until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the corn bread cool on a rack for 15 minutes.

Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

MAKE AHEAD The corn bread can be wrapped in foil and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in the foil.


Serves