Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup

When it's cold outside, one of the best thing to enjoy inside is a bowl of piping hot soup in front the fireplace. A fireplace I don't have but a bowl of soup can be easily whipped up in no time at all. This one combines the sweetness of the sweet potatoes with the spiciness of the other ingredients to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside which in my opinion is a very nice feeling to have in winter. And of course,anything with chorizo is always delicious!!! ;)

Adapted from Jamie Oliver Food Revolution
Serves 3-4
Ingredients

2 carrots
1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
450g sweet potatoes
100g chorizo sausage
1.5 heaped teaspoon curry powder
1 vege stock cube or 1 vege knorr stock pot
900ml of water
1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped


Method
Peel and roughly slice the carrots and onions.
Peel and slice the garlic.
Peel and chop the potatoes.
Slice the chorizo.


Put a large heavy based pot on medium heat and lightly fry the chorizo without any oil. Once the oil oozes out of the chorizo, remove the chorizo and set aside.
In the same pot, add onion and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent. 
Add carrots, sweet potato and curry powder and mix together
Cook for around 10 mins with the lid askew, until the carrots have softened but are still holding their shape.
Put the stock cubes/stock pot into a jug and pour in 900ml of boiling water
Stir until dissolved then add to the vegetables
Add back the chorizo into the pot, give the soup a good stir and bring to the boil
Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins until potato is softened


Season with salt and pepper
Using a hand blender or liquidiser, pulse the soup until smooth and scatter over a little finely chopped chilli
Divide between bowls and serve with bread!!

Hola! Paella with Chicken and Chorizo!!

One of my absolutely fave place in London is Borough Market, where one can find loads of fresh , wonderful and sometimes unusual produce! I made a trip there recently and look at what I found....aren't they pretty? I also bought  big bowl of the sweetest plum tomatoes I ever tasted for only £1!

Pattypan and Carnival Squash

Brindisa, a Spanish food store in Borough Market is the place to go when you want to find any food related spanish stuff!! Jamon, chorizo, paprika, saffron, paella pan...you name it and they will have it! Stocked up on some chorizo, calasparra rice, paprika so of course i had to cook us some Paella when we got home! I still don't own a paella pan so I just used one of my heavy bottom cast iron pan which worked well too.

Adapted from Gordon Ramsay World Kitchen. Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients

400g Bomba or Calasparra rice

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 600g

sea salt and black pepper

200g chorizo sausage

3 tbsp olive oil

1 red pepper, cored deseeded and chopped

1 orange pepper, cored deseeded and chopped

6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 litre vegetable stock

pinch of saffron threads

3/4 tsp smoked paprika

100g peas, thawed if frozen

6 large tomatoes, skinned deseeded and chopped

handful of flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1) Rinse the rice well, drain and set aside. Cut the chicken in to bitesize pieces and season with salt and pepper. Cut the chorizo sausage into thick slices.
2) Heat olive oil in a large pan and brown the chicken pieces all over. Remove to a plate and set aside.Add the chorizo slices to the pan and saute for 2 mins, then add the chopped peppers and garlic. Cook for 3-4 mins, stirring frequently until peppers start to soften.
3) Stir in the rice and cook, stirring, for a few mins to taste the grains. Add stock, saffron and paprika. Bring it to a boil, add chicken pieces and lower the heat. Simmer for 15 mins, untouched. What we want is for a crust to form at the bottom so we should minimise any stirring.
4) Add the peas and chopped tomatoes, giving it a gentle stir and continue cooking for a further 10-15 mins, untouched. When rice is cooked and retains a slight bite, remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for a few mins.
5) Scatter chopped parsley over the paella then serve with lemon wedges.

Chorizo and Butter Bean Favetta

Every once in a while, the Husband will be inspired to whip up something nice and plate it a little more 'fine dining' style after we've been out for a good meal. This was one of those days and in my opinion anything with chorizo can never be bad!!!


Ingredients:
1 X 400 g tin of butter beans, drained
small handful fresh mint leaves
3 tbsp olive
1/2 lemon, juice only
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 cooking chorizo sausages, cut into thick slices 
3 tbsp sherry


To serve
slice of griddled sourdough, bread or other rustic bread
handful peas, blanched
handful mustard cress or any other cress


Method:
1. Tip the butter beans, mint, olive oil and lemon juice into a blender and blend until just combined, but retaining some texture. Stir in the red onions. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

2. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the chorizo slices for 5 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Pour in the sherry, swirl the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the sherry has reduced. 

3. To serve, spoon the bean purée on the griddled sourdough, pile the chorizo on top and garnish with the peas and mustard cress.