Chorizo Stew

I have said many times before, our favorite thing in this world is a nice stew. And since my friend and neighbor has been crying doom at the dawn of autumn soon (the leaves have started to change color), I figured stew was weather-appropriate. Of course, by a really long shot, but so yummy, who cares?!

Chorizo is a type of highly seasoned pork sausage, usually from Spain or Mexico. The Spanish version gets its distinctive flavor from the smoked paprika used to spice the meat which is also usually smoked. I used Mexican chorizo for this recipe which is made from fresh ground pork, and is more widely available in North America. I have also used Goan sausage which gives it a spicier, more vinegar flavor. Remove the casing before cooking.

Ingredients
½ cup uncooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or 1 can cooked
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 chorizo sausage – remove casing and roughly crumbled
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 stick celery, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
2 fresh or dry bay leaves (I like the fresh ones better for this recipe)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 lemon, cut into quarters (leave the rind on)
1 tsp paprika
Salt to taste
2 tomatoes, diced
½ cup red wine (I used a Spanish wine – any robust red, light on the woody notes will do)
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

Powder fine 1 inch stick of cinnamon, 4 cloves and ½ tsp fennel seeds.

Method
If using uncooked chickpeas, soak in water overnight or for at least 4 hours. Drain, rinse, and pressure cook with 1 cup water for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep aside. If using a can of cooked chickpeas, drain and skip ahead.

In a deep pot, heat the olive oil. Saute onions on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, taking care not to brown them. Covering the pot with a lid helps. Next, add the garlic and stir for a minutes. Now add chorizo. Stir around to break up the pieces and sauté for 3-4 minutes. The oil should start turning red from the chorizo spices. Now throw in all the vegetables and bay leaves. Saute for a couple of minutes more. Next, add the tomatoes, paprika and salt. Stir for 3-4 minutes. Add wine and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add chicken stock, lemon zest and cut lemon, and simmer covered for 10 minutes more. Now mix in the cooked chickpeas. Taste and adjust seasoning. For added heat, you could add ½ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder. Continue simmering uncovered for 12 minutes more (or until potatoes are cooked). Serve with couscous and harissa.