Smoky Chorizo and Butter-bean Stew

I've got too much to do to spend all evening in the kitchen...

When leaving the house to go shopping is unthinkable, or economically unfeasible of a week night, when you’re tired and have myriad tasks to do with a hungry partner and/or kids,  a store cupboard meal is ideal. They don’t have to be pappy or flavourless if you have some chorizo, tinned tomatoes and tinned pules on hand. They are a basis of many a store cupboard meal, along with onions and some good vinegar you can slap this stew down with any old starchy carb.

I am however very much against this pairing of chorizo with pasta,  it’s just uncouth. Potatoes or rice or bread are obvious store cupboard staples, I would prefer these to be used, the rice simply boiled as I did here; potatoes boiled, mashed, roasted, what-have you; bread just to scoop and dab and polish the plate of the last morsel.

I think one of the most rewarding things about cooking is getting the best out of an ingredient, By skinning the cured chorizo before cooking on a low heat, you allow the complex and smoky fat to ooze out in a splendid rusty-ruby-red pool, you don’t need to add any oil or other fat to the dish. Adding a red wine vinegar or potentially balsamic while the stew is bubbling will offset any fatty notes to the dish and leave it deep and rich and savoury.

As I always say, play around with the recipe, use a different pules if you wish to, use dried if you have more time, use fresh tomatoes if you prefer and use whatever seasoning you desire, if you prep the chorizo as I describe, you’ll welcome that fraught moment when you think you have no food in aside form half a chorizo in the back of the fridge.

Smoky Chorizo and Butter-bean Stew

100g cured chorizo, skin removed and diced

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tin butterbeans

Squeeze of tomato purée 

1tsp smoked paprika (dolce or picante)

Juice of half a lemon

Pinch sugar

Salt n pepper

Fry the chorizo on a low heat until most of the delicious fat has oozed out, then add the onions and carrot, then raise the heat to medium and cook till onion is translucent and carrots are slightly softened.

Add tomatoes and tin full of water, sugar, tomato purée, stir well and cook on high heat stirring occasionally.

When reduced to desired consistency, add the lemon juice, paprika and butter-beans and heat through.

Taste and season.

Serve with your choice of carbs (BUT NOT PASTA, PLEASE!) or add two tins of stock and have yourself a soup.