Recent cooking exploits

I am a terrible food blogger.  Not because I don't post very often (though I don't), or because my recipes are awful (I don't post the awful ones!), or because my writing is dreadful (I like to think it's ok, most of the time, and at least I can spell and use correct grammar), but because I always forget to take photos.  By the time I have chopped, cooked, prepared and served, I'm usually too hungry (or my guests are!) to remember to get the camera out.  And then I think of doing a blog post about my cooking adventures, and then I think "If only I'd taken a photo!".  And then I don't post after all.

But since the point of this blog was partly to record recipes for my own use, I figure I may as well put them down, even if there are no pretty pictures to whet the appetite.

A couple of weeks ago I had friends round for the evening and decided to do a tapas-style spread with a variety of dishes and platters for everyone to pick at.  One of my favourite restaurants in Manchester is Dimitri's, which sounds Greek but describes itself as a "tapas taverna"; and one of the dishes we often have there is chorizos bravas -- like patatas bravas but with added chorizo.  Inspired by this, I set out to make my own version. 

I wanted something more tomatoey and less oily, so this is more like a chorizo and potato stew than real patatas bravas, which never have enough of the tomato sauce for my liking.  Far from the source it may be, but this came out so well I felt I should write it down for next time.  Another thing I liked is that the proportions came out perfectly using whole packs of things -- no little bits or half-packets left over!

Spicy chorizo and potato stew
1kg new/salad potatoes
2 x 170g spicy chorizo rings, cut into 1cm slices
2 red onions, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed/finely chopped
2 capsicums (peppers) - whatever colour, mixed is good - roughly chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup prepared tomato sauce (we had half a jar of Dolmio in the fridge; using a can of crushed tomatoes and adding extra seasoning would probably work just fine)
freshly ground black pepper
squeeze of fresh lemon
couple of handfuls sliced spring onion

Boil potatoes whole for about 10 minutes, until tender but not squishy.  Let cool, then slice thickly (about 1.5cm slices).
Heat heavy-based pan on medium and fry chorizo slices on both sides until browned; remove from pan.  Add onions, garlic and capsicum to pan and fry (in oil released from chorizo) for a few minutes, until slightly softened.  Add potato slices and cook for a few minutes each side until slightly browned.  Return chorizo to pan, add wine and tomato sauce/tomatoes, season with freshly ground black pepper, cook about 10 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened.  Add an extra grinding of pepper, a squeeze of lemon and sliced spring onions, and serve with crusty bread.

(Next time I make this I will probably add one or two sliced red chillies along with the onion, peppers and garlic; the chorizo wasn't really spicy enough for my taste.)