SLOW COOKED CHORIZO & CHICKPEA STEW

This hearty, slow-cooked stew is sure to warm you up on a cold evening, with its warming spices and subtle heat. It’s perfect for preparing the night before, then putting into a slow cooker in the morning before you head out to work and leave it do its magic for the rest of the day.

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If you thought slow-cooked meals were bland and boring, gravy-based concoctions - think again. This simple little recipe combines all my favourite elements of Spanish-inspired cuisine, specifically Tapas (think pan-fried chorizo and patatas bravas all rolled into one) and it certainly packs a punch. It’s not overly spicy, although I am a self-confessed chilli-head, I’d say it’s more warming, with a blend of fresh red chilli, smoky paprika, cumin seeds, ground coriander, black pepper and, yes, cinnamon. My favourite thing about this dish is the way the fat in the chorizo dissolves into the dish, leaving tender, melt-in-the-mouth pieces, and a really flavoursome sauce.

For 2 hungry people:

• One chorizo ring, cut into chunky bite-size pieces
• 1 onion, diced (I prefer it quite chunky so it doesn’t disintegrate)
• 1 yellow pepper, cut into similar sized chunks as the chorizo
• 6 cherry tomatoes (approx.) halved
• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
• 1 carton of passata
• 1 chicken stock pot
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• Garlic puree (or 2 cloves of fresh)
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to season

Method

I recommend starting by frying off the chorizo, onion, chilli and garlic with the spices in a little balsamic vinegar so that the chorizo becomes sticky.  Then add the peppers to fry off. It’s best to boil the potatoes first, if you want to prepare this quite quickly, as potatoes can take forever to cook in the slow cooker from raw.

Then put everything into the slow cooker and leave for a few hours. It’s as simple as that. The beauty of slow cooked dishes like this is that the longer you leave them, the better they get, as the spices and flavours just continue to develop. Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander or parsley on top, and serve with warm, crusty bread if you want it to go further (or just want something to mop up the delicious sauce with).

Of course, you can cook this recipe without a slow cooker, in a deep pan or in a casserole dish in the oven.