Cuban-style Chilindron of Lamb

Marinate the lamb by placing it in a large bowl or container and sprinkling it liberally with 2 teaspoons salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cover and let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours. If you are marinating the meat for longer than 2 hours you should refrigerate it and bring it to room temperature 2 hours before cooking.

Drain the lamb and pat it dry, reserving marinade. Dredge meat chunks in the flour just to provide it with a coat for protection while searing it. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a deep, shallow pan, or in a Dutch oven. Brown the meat on all sides, about 3 minutes per side — you can do this in batches. Transfer the meat to a plate when done.

To the same pan over medium heat, add bacon or pancetta and sauté until browned (about 5 to 7 minutes), then add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Reduce the heat to low and sauté the veggies for approximately 5 to 6 minutes until caramelized and soft. Add the wine to the pan while doing this, scraping the pan to pick up the toasted parts of the browned meat.

Return the lamb to the pan and add the reserved marinade, crushed tomatoes, cumin, paprika, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, rosemary and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over low heat or in a 350º F oven until the lamb is tender, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn/stir the meat every 30 minutes or so to ensure that it keeps moist. Add water if the sauce reduces too much.

Transfer to a serving bowl, discard the bay leaf, stir in the parsley and serve over rice, mashed potatoes or over bread slices as an appetizer/tapa. Garnish with the olives.