Cantabrian Meat Stew with Chickpeas (Cocido Lebaniego)

Make stew:

Soak chickpeas in cold water to cover by 2 inches at least 8 hours. Meanwhile, rinse ham hock and slab bacon, then soak in a bowl of cold water to cover by 2 inches, chilled, at least 8 hours. Drain chickpeas in a colander and add to a wide 7- to 8-quart heavy pot. Drain and rinse ham hock and slab bacon, then arrange on top of chickpeas along with salt pork, veal shank, dried beef, pig's ear (if using), and chorizo. Sprinkle meats with paprika and add water (10 to 11 cups) to just cover meats by 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, skimming foam from surface as necessary, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer, tightly covered, 2 1/2 hours. Prepare cabbage while stew simmers:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F. Boil cabbage in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water covered, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well. Cook garlic and paprika in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add cabbage and sauté, stirring, until cabbage is well coated and heated through, about 8 minutes. Season with salt. Transfer to an ovenproof serving dish and cover with foil, then keep warm in oven. Make dumplings and continue simmering stew:

Transfer salt pork and 1 chorizo link to a cutting board (for dumplings). Finely chop chorizo, then finely chop enough salt pork to measure 1/4 cup, returning remaining salt pork to pot. Continue to simmer stew until chickpeas are cooked and all meats are very tender, about 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, salt, and parsley in a large bowl, then add chopped meats and bread crumbs and stir until combined well. Using 2 soupspoons, form bread-crumb mixture into 16 to 20 oval dumplings (about 2 tablespoons each), transferring dumplings as formed to a tray lined with wax paper. Heat oil in cleaned 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown dumplings, in 2 batches if necessary to avoid crowding, turning, until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer dumplings as browned to paper towels to drain. Finish stew and assemble dish:

Transfer meats from stew to cutting board with tongs, then carefully add dumplings to broth with chickpeas and simmer, covered, while cutting meats, at least 10 minutes. Cut sausages into large diagonal slices and cut remaining meats into serving pieces, then arrange in one side of a large baking dish along with marrowbone from veal shank. Transfer dumplings with a slotted spoon to same dish, next to meats. Transfer chickpeas with slotted spoon to dish with cabbage. Cover with foil and keep warm in oven. Skim fat from broth, then return to a boil and season with salt and pepper. If serving broth as a first course, crumble fideos into broth and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Otherwise, ladle broth over meats and dumplings. Serve meats and dumplings with chickpeas and cabbage.