sausage sarnie

So there I was with a sudden craving for a meatball sandwich (something I haven’t had in YEARS) and all I had was some chorizo criollo in the fridge. It was time to improvise! The addition of spinach meant (to me) that there wasn’t any need for a side veg or salad, making it a super-simple all-in-one kind of dish, which I served open-faced as I prefer more filling/topping than bread. It also had a whack of parmesan sprinkled on top but was more photogentic without it. Makes 2-3 servings, depending on how hungry you are.

Ingredients and instructions below…

chopo risotto

Another “accidental” risotto, which came about after seeing some lovely chopo mushrooms at the market yesterday. And then the guy made me an offer I couldn’t refuse (just before closing time on Saturday is a good time to hit the market). These chopos were cultivated, which don’t have the same deep flavour as wild ones, but still a nice change from regular white mushrooms. They were also small enough that I just cooked them whole. And thus a new (for me) risotto was born.

Ingredients and instructions below…

huevos rotos

Huevos rotos (literally “broken eggs” in Spanish) is a very traditional dish with many variations, but all including perfectly crispy fried eggs with soft yolks and fried potatoes. The ones you see below include jamón and chorizo Ibérico, caramalised onions and shaved truffle. The one you see above is my first attempt at making this at home. I used chorizo criollo and added some pimentón piquante as my favourite version so far (from Vineria San Telmo) includes spicy chorizo with lots of pimentón inside, which blends perfectly with the hot egg yolk and fried potatoes.

I served it with a tomato and spring onion salad, both of which are just coming into season now, and it was a great side dish that added a fresh touch and balanced the meal out quite nicely.

[huevos rotos at Gusto Ristobar, Vineria San Telmo & El Gallinero de Sandra]

Ingredients and instructions below…

fabada asturiana

I’d had a kilo bag of alubias blancas in the cupboard for ages and so finally decided to do something with them. But what? Foodie friends on Twitter suggested a Fabada Asturiana. This is traditionally made with fabes de la granga and saffron, but since I had alubias blancas I just went with those, and substituted paprika for saffron. Turns out alubias and fabes are the same thing, basically meaning “large white bean” in different regions of Spain. I think my large white beans were either haricot or cannellini (?). I also picked up a “fabada prep” vacuum-package at the supermarket, containing 300 grams of very serious looking chorizo and morcilla (black pudding) along with a chunk of fatty salt pork, or tocina. Love that they do this here. There is also a “puchero prep” pack available. One day… maybe.

As usual, when trying something new, I checked out a few different recipes on the internet and then did a sort of mash up while adding a twist or two of my own. And the result was very tasty indeed. Rich smoky flavour from the spicy pimentón, a lovely thick beany sauce and lots of meaty goodness. Perfect eating on a chilly January day.

Ingredients and instructions below…

spinach, langostine & chorizo criollo risotto

Yep, another risotto. This one with fresh baby spinach leaves stirred in at the end – it’ll look like a lot of spinach at first but it wilts down a lot. Also very meaty with lots of chorizo criollo, which adds a lovely texture and flavour and goes very well with the langostines. Add some ground hot chilis to spice it up.

Ingredients & instructions below the links.

chorizo & gambas risotto

Since making my first ever risotto a couple of months ago they have become a staple dish here at casa az. Until now I’ve been sticking with mushroom & veg versions … that is, until my pal WeeRascal boasted of having a chorizo & lobster risotto a while ago. And well, I just had to try it out for myself, though I substituted giant prawns (gambon gordo) for lobster. I made it pretty much following the same recipe as the mushroom risotto, but I added the heads and shells of the gambas to the chicken broth – and wow! – the broth turned out gorgeous. In fact, I think this is one of the most delicious meals I have ever made. I was a bit unsure about adding too many ingredients, so I tried it first without and then with the broccoli. They were both great, and I liked having some green stuff in there, making it a more complete “one dish” meal.

Revised recipe and instructions below the links:
(as well as “close up” shots of both versions)