Chorizo: A Glorious and Inexpensive Meat

I heart chorizo. This glorious tube of heavenly pork is a versatile and inexpensive ingredient that adds flavour and depth to a variety of meals. A Spanish dry cured sausage, it can be added to stews, soups, omelettes, pasta and risotto. Pancetta, Italian smoked bacon, is used in a similar way but is no match to the deep spiciness of chorizo.

I picked up a 300g sausage for €2.99 in Lidl and 200g of large chorizo slices are now reduced from €2.99 down to €2.49 and great for sandwiches. A little goes a long way and because it’s cured it will last a couple of months after purchase. Here is one of my favourite dishes; I’ll post another tomorrow. What ideas do you have for chorizo?

Roasted Vegetable Lasagne with Chorizo

If you don’t want a full on minced meat lasagne but a vegetable one just won’t cut it, try it with chorizo. A couple of nights ago I added the sausage to a roasted vegetable lasagne and the little amount I used gave the dish a rich smokey bite. This serves 6 and is great with fresh spinach and a baked potato.

Marinade

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped
• 2 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• Salt and pepper

Main ingredients

• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 2 large carrots, sliced thinly
• 2 large courgettes, sliced thinly lengthways
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced in half
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 150g chorizo sausage, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
• 1/3 cup of green pesto
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 375g lasagne sheets
• 1/2 cup of parmesan
• Salt and pepper

Béchamel sauce

• 120g butter
• 3/4 cup of plain flour
• 3 cups of warm milk
• Teaspoon of grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200c (Gas mark 6). Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Place the red pepper, carrots, courgettes and garlic in a large baking dish. Coat the vegetables with half the marinade. Bake for 15 minutes, turn and coat again with the remaining marinade. Cook for further 15 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in large saucepan, fry onions until brown and add chorizo. Fry together at medium heat for 5 minutes. Add can of tomatoes, pesto and tomato paste and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the roasted vegetables and let simmer for a further 5 minutes.
3. In a large greased baking dish, layer the pasta sheets and sauce alternatively, starting and ending with the pasta sheets.
4. For the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, then begin adding the warm milk gradually. When the sauce seems to be smooth and not too stiff, add salt, pepper and the nutmeg. Continue to boil for a further 5 minutes, mixing all the time. Once smooth and thick spoon over the top layer of pasta sheets. It should come just about flush with the top of the dish. Sprinkle the parmesan on top.
5. Bake for 40 minutes and let cool for a couple of minutes before serving.