From sweet Tartin Tintin we go to hearty dish with this second excerpt from Apples of Uncommon Character, 123 Heirlooms, Modern Classics, and Little Known Wonders (Bloomsbury, September 2014) by Rowan Jacobsen…
Chorizo in Cider, Asturian Style
Quick: Where can you find the strongest cider tradition in the world? Southwest England? Normandy? Actually, it’s Asturias, the coastal province of northern Spain famed for its apple groves. Instead of sherry, sidra is the traditional drink in the tapas bars; walk into any bar in the region, and you’ll be able to order this dish with your glass of cider.
This is a bit of a jazzed-up version; more likely in Asturias, you’d get unadorned chorizo cooked in cider. I’ve made this recipe with dried chorizo, which is rock-hard when you buy it, and with fresh chorizo.
Fresh is better, but you can use either one. You might even consider using a touch of dry in addition to the fresh, for intensity of flavor. Either way, serve it with crusty bread and a glass of cold, sparkling, funky cider; the dry, tart drink and the rich, spicy sausage play off each other brilliantly.
A crisp, sweet apple like Gala works, but a sweet-tart russet like Zabergau Reinette or Belle de
Boskoop is even better. Any high-acid apple will do: Bramley’s Seedling, Esopus Spitzenberg,
Ashmead’s Kernel, GoldRush, or Granny Smith in a pinch. Ananas Reinette might be best of all.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound chorizo, cut into ½-inch slices
½ onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup dry hard cider
1 apple, cored and sliced into half-moons
Parsley for garnish (optional)
Bread for serving
Makes 4 to 6 first-course servings
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the chorizo slices and sauté until brown, about 2 minutes. The oil will turn a lovely orange color from the paprika in the chorizo.
3. Turn the chorizo and sauté the opposite side another 2 minutes.
4. Add the onion and cider and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes.
5. Add the apple slices, stir, and cook another 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thick. Serve in a bowl, garnished with parsley if desired, and accompanied by thinly sliced bread.
(* Recipe excerpted from Apples of Uncommon Character, 123 Heirlooms, Modern Classics, and Little Known Wonders – Bloomsbury, September 2014- by Rowan Jacobsenwith photographs by Clare Barboza)