Planning a week’s worth of family meals is a bit of a drag at times. But there’re certain ingredients that just keep on giving. Take three core ingredients, add some cupboard staples and a bit of ingenuity, and we’ve got three night’s dinner covered.
This week’s hero ingredients are chorizo sausage, mediterranean vegetables and Parmesan cheese.
Chorizo Bean Stew
Serves 4.
Via What Katie Ate
Ingredients:
2 mild chorizo sausages, sliced into thin rounds
3-4 large tomatoes, halved
2-3 long red peppers/red capsicums, stalk, membrane and seeds removed, cut in half lenghtways
1 brown onion, finely diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
400g tinned, chopped tomatoes
400g tinned borlotti beans
400g tinned chickpeas
400g tinned cannellini beans
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup dry white wine
Handful fresh flat leaf/continental parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A little Parmesan to serve
Directions:
1 Pre-heat oven to 180˚C (350˚F)
2 Place capsicums and tomatoes cut-side up onto two separate baking trays, drizzle both with a little olive oil, season tomatoes with a little salt and black pepper and roast both items in the oven for 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven and chop both capsicums and tomatoes into large chunks.
3 In a large heavy-based casserole pot, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil and warm over medium heat. Add the sliced chorizo and fry until crispy and caramelised around the edges. Using a slotted spoon remove chorizo and drain on paper towel.
4 Into the chorizo oil remaining in the pot, add the onion and garlic and fry over low-medium heat for 5 minutes before adding the roasted tomatoes, capsicums, tinned tomatoes, 3 bean varieties, paprika and wine. Season well with salt and black pepper then add the chorizo. Stir all together and cook over low-medium heat for 30-40 mins until thickened slightly. If you want, you can add a little water at any stage if you think the mixture is getting too thick.
5 Serve warm in bowls with a scattering of chopped fresh parsley and Parmesan.
Chorizo Pan Lasagna
Serves 4–6.
Via Donna Hay.
Ingredients:
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 x 100g dried firm chorizo, cases removed and processed into mince
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
2 x 400g cans crushed tomatoes
¾ cup (180ml) water
sea salt and cracked black pepper
3 fresh lasagne sheets, trimmed to fit
1 cup basil leaves
3 cups (300g) grated mozzarella
1½ cups (120g) finely grated parmesan
Directions:
1 Heat the oil in a 22cm (2-litre) ovenproof non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the onion, garlic and chorizo and cook for 10 minutes.
2 Add the chilli, tomatoes, water, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
3 Return 1 cup of the sauce to the frying pan and spread evenly. Begin layering with with 1 lasagne sheet, ⅓ of the remaining sauce, ⅓ of the basil and ⅓ of the combined cheeses.
4 Repeat the layering with remaining ingredients, finishing with cheese. Place the pan over medium heat until the sauce begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 25–30 minutes or until cooked through.
5 Preheat a grill to high heat. Grill for 2–3 minutes or until the cheese is golden.
Roast Vegetable and Chorizo Salad
Serves 2.
Via Fit Naturally.
100g of chorizo sausage, cooked and sliced. Use quality chorizo with no additives.
1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 aubergine, diced
1 courgette, diced
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 tsp of balsamic vinegar
A splash of lemon juice
2 tbsp of Olive oil
A handful of fresh Basil, roughly chopped
A little fresh thyme
15g of toasted pine nuts
Rocket to garnish
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to serve
Directions:
1 Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.
2 Place all the vegetables on a tray with the garlic and add the sea salt and black pepper and fresh thyme. Drizzle with the olive oil.
3 Roast in the oven for approximately 10 – 15 mins or until soft then transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.
4 Finally, add the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, sliced basil, pine nuts, rocket and cook chorizo. Divide between two bowls and serves with Parmesan sprinkled over the top.
