I am going through a little chorizo phase, where many of the dishes I have cooked of late contain this wonderfully spicy sausage. From Suzanne Goin’s Lamb stuffed with Chorizo and Olives to Nano Crespo’s Cannelini Bean Stew with Chorizo and Swiss Chard, and then there is this – a little braised pork in a very Spanish influenced combination of tomatoes, chorizo and olives. It is heavenly! and one of the more pleasing & feel good dishes I have cooked throughout the last couple (and a bit more) of cold, cold months.
We have eaten this with Patatas Fritas (as the chef suggested) but it would also work really well served in small portions, as part of a tapas menu. Enjoy!
1 kilo/2.2 pounds boned shoulder of pork, ideally Iberico, cut into 3cm chunks
4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4’s cup/150 mls red wine
2 medium onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
200 grams/7 ounces fresh chorizo, skinned and chopped
2 teaspoons sweet pimento
2 tablespoons tomato puree
400 grams/14 ounces skinned, chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
300mls/ 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
leaves from 3 large thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
4 fresh bay leaves
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons caster (superfine) sugar
100 grams/ 3 1/2 ounces good quality pitted black olives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and sear the pork in batches until nicely browned. Set aside in a bowl.
Add the wine to the pan and as the liquid bubbles up, scrape the base of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the caramelised juices. Pour over the pork.
Add the remaining oil to the pan with the onions, cover and gently fry for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until they are very soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic and the chorizo and fry for a further 2 – 3 minutes. Stir in the pimenton and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato puree, tomatoes, chicken stock, thyme leaves, oregano and bay leaves.
Stir in the pork and all the juices, season with salt and pepper, cover and gently simmer for 1 hour until the pork is almost tender.
Put the sherry vinegar and caster sugar into a small pan and boil until reduced to about 1 teaspoon. Stir it into the casserole with the olives and simmer, uncovered for another 20 – 30 minutes until the sauce is nicely reduced and the pork is tender. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve with patatas fritas.
Source: Jose Pizarro via Cookhouse, the food magazine of Soho House
Notes: if you have trouble finding sweet pimento, you can substitute it with finely diced red capsicum (pepper)
© 2013, Michelle. All rights reserved.
