Chorizo

Minder

Chorizo is extremely popular, I see it mentioned in all manner of recipes and it pops up in loads of threads.

So I'm intrigued, what chorizo are people buying and using. Because I can't for the life of me see the attraction of fried dry chorizo which produces oily leather discs.

stargazer 68

I use mine for my chicken and chorizo lasagne which is simply lush!
Also I sometimes buy the dolmio stir in sauce and chop up the chorizo quite small and fry it. Then stir it through the sauce and pasta.

Minder

Cooking chorizo? Or the dried variety? Sweet (Dulce) or Hot (Picante)?

tmc86

mmm chorizo! my favourite is to have it with a crusty baguette some butter and some soft cheese (used to have this nearly everyday in France) with a small bottle of beer

I'd often use it with a homemade tomato pasta sauce and fry in little chunks and mix in.

very nice on homemade pizza too and in Scrambled eggs or an omlette

problemchimp

Thinly sliced in a Spanish ommlette, delicious.

Acoshla

Chorizo and garlic baby potatoes, yum.

olaola

I've used a good few and I find the 'Sol' brand my favourite. You can get it in Superquinn, Spar etc. M&S own brand is also great and the Dunnes own brand is also fantastic. I think the Lidl one, isn't actually Chorizo (the loop, not the sliced) it's more a salami. But the sliced Chorizo in Aldi & Lidl is very good.

Cooked it's got a great texture and flavour - very moreish and succulent. If you can get it fresh, cut it into rounds and simmer in red wine. Serve with crusty bread - simple and VERY delicious.

neuro-praxis

My answer would have been almost identical to Olala's.

The versions you get here are typically dulce - in ring form anyway. The large, pre-sliced stuff that you get in Aldi and Lidl is sometimes of the picante variety.

I buy my Chorizo usually in own-brand varieties by Tesco Finest, M&S or Dunnes. They're all delicious and are wonderful paired with a subtly flavoured meat or fish like chicken or prawns (or both!).

I like chicken and chorizo chunk skewers, grilled, with a mint and yoghurt sauce. Or chicken, prawns and chorizo with smoked paprika, coconut rice, crispy veg and hot lime pickle. Or chorizo in tomato sauce with pasta.

olaola

Also I find the Chorizo (sliced) with the larger marbling to be my favourite - not sure if the size of the fat has indication of which type it is. But the smaller fat pockets seems to be more salami like.

Dinkie

I love chorizo also.:D:D

I buy the lidl sliced chorizo for hangover sandwiches (chorizo and coleslaw), for tapas or for layering with potatos and onions in frittata.

I buy M&S whole uncooked ones to go with pasta (with leeks and creme fraiche), for adding into stuffing (with spinach and breadcrumbs in pork), paella or simply sauteing in cider and serving with french bread to mop up the juices.

olaola

Saw this on the tellybox last week, looked delicious - http://www.rte.ie/food/2011/0627/sweetpotatoandchorizogratin.html

Brian?

I love this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/merluzaalagallega_11637

I've used all sorts of chorizo, but am yet to settle on a favourite.

Little Alex

I love Chorizo, too, and always have some in the fridge. I also think it's way better - both the fresh and aged variants - cooked. If it's fried at a low temperature it stays soft and delish and the lovely smoked paprika oil melts out.

Lidl have "smoked pork salami with paprika" (German as opposed to Spanish) which is very nice.

the beer revolu

I like Gubeen chorizo - it has the best flavour of any I've tried.
To be honest, I rarely cook with it - just like to eat it as it is or let it hang for a few weeks in the kitchen to dry out more (only the version in the natural skin is suitable for this).

But when I do cook with it:
It is great in tortilla (Spanish omelette) and does give really good flavour to soups and stews - particularly tomato bases ones - shin beef and chorizo stew is good as is tomato, butter bean and chorizo soup.
Chorizo, pea and mint risotto is surprisingly good too (finish with a good squeeze of lemon juice).

Manach

mmm Chorizo fried with scrambled eggs mmm.

huskerdu

I buy chorizo in Lidl and use it in loads of dishes

- Omelette
- Paella
- Tomato based soup
- Chicken and chorizo bake
- Simple lunch with salad and crusty bread
- Rachel Allen does a lovely chorizo, leek and potato bake

Robin132

The question is, the likes of the one you buy in lidl in the loop.... skin on or off? It is so hard to get it off i generally leave it on though a lot of people seem to take it off

Honey-ec

Robin132 wrote: »

The question is, the likes of the one you buy in lidl in the loop.... skin on or off? It is so hard to get it off i generally leave it on though a lot of people seem to take it off

On. The skin is so thin as to be practically unnoticeable anyway.

Minder

Robin132 wrote: »

The question is, the likes of the one you buy in lidl in the loop.... skin on or off? It is so hard to get it off i generally leave it on though a lot of people seem to take it off

That sounds like a cured chorizo sausage - powdery white skin? Slice thinly and eat. Not suitable for cooking with.

elvis jones

briankeating wrote: »

I love this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/merluzaalagallega_11637

I've used all sorts of chorizo, but am yet to settle on a favourite.

There is one made in Cork that i bought in Fallon & Byrne, its the best one i've had so far !

elvis jones

Manach wrote: »

mmm Chorizo fried with scrambled eggs mmm.

I've decided to have this on sunday !

sham69

mmm Chorizo fried with scrambled eggs mmm.

Had it this morning before I went to work.
The recipe I got (think its jamie oliver or nigella)
is with tortilla, mushrooms, onions etc.
Basically you can put in what you want.

First fry the chorizo, then add the veg (I usually do peppers, onion (or spring onion), mushroom (needed), cherry tomatoes (needed)
I add some paprika (yes more) and cayenne pepper and some chili flakes.
Add the tortilla last , fry for a couple of minutes and then whisk 3 eggs and add them in to scramble.
Its the most delicious breakfast.

ChewChew

A nice, fresh sesame bagel. Put some tomato, onion, cheese and chorizo on it, and toast. yum yum yum

Honey-ec

Chorizo & asparagus risotto is also a thing of beauty. Particularly when you lob half a bottle of martini in after you coat the rice.

The Black Oil

Has anyone ever used it with cider? Was flicking through the channels and Rick Stein was in Spain and had a sample.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/merluzaalagallega_11637

This one linked above mentions wine so perhaps that would do instead.

Eddie-B

If you can find the actual chorizo sausages they are a one pot wonder. Because of the oil in them once they begin to cook its spills out over everything else so putting it on top of some boiled spuds,peppers and onions gives u a pot of what is basically chilli roast potatoes with the grilled sausages and then the peppers and onions....

not to mention the oil left over can be soaked up in some crusty bread.

Cavehill Red

Eddie-B wrote: »

If you can find the actual chorizo sausages they are a one pot wonder. Because of the oil in them once they begin to cook its spills out over everything else so putting it on top of some boiled spuds,peppers and onions gives u a pot of what is basically chilli roast potatoes with the grilled sausages and then the peppers and onions....

not to mention the oil left over can be soaked up in some crusty bread.

Yup, the Spanish have cottoned on to that one pot quality of chorizo too. Ever tried Merluza a la Gallega con chorizo? Dead easy route to one pan heaven on a plate.

Half decent recipe here: http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Merluza_a_la_Gallega_%28with_chorizo%29

Generally, I'd just do the spuds, then in goes the capsicum and chorizo, let the sausage do its oily magic, in with the water and wine, fish on top (it basically steams, but gets that juicy chorizo taste too) and you're laughing. No need for peas or whatever.

Another option I came across by accident one happy Sunday morning is that if you have no sausages and are making an Ulster fry, a few slices of chorizo in the pan before you do your potato farls, and they will come out fiery red and utterly amazing!

Eddie-B

Cavehill Red wrote: »

let the sausage do its oily magic

i think this thread can be closed after that statement

the beer revolu

elvis jones wrote: »

There is one made in Cork that i bought in Fallon & Byrne, its the best one i've had so far !

That's the Gubeen one!
Very good.