You can get chorizo fresh (chorizo fresco) - in which case you have to cook it - or cured so you just have to remove the casing, slice and enjoy. I think this winter when we get back to sausage making after a 2 winter hiatus, we will have to make some chorizo.
As I said above, it is a pork sausage and it is spiced with Spanish paprika, garlic and salt. The Spanish chop their pork and add chopped pork fat to the sausage to give it its distinctive consistency. To me, what makes a really good sausage is ensuring that you have the right ratio of pork to fat. Too much and the sausage is greasy; not enough and it dries out when it cooks. We find the best cut for sausage making is pork shoulder. Funny, but it is also our favourite for pulled pork and Jerk pork. It has a great fat cap that imparts so much moisture and flavour into the meat.
Different countries have their own version of chorizo. The Mexican variety uses very fatty cuts of pork which are ground and then spiced. Portugal has chouriço, the same pork sausage spiced with paprika, but wine is added. And Goa has a version that uses pork, garlic, chili and vinegar. Must try to track that kind down to try. Goa has the most amazing food so it is sure to be good.
This is an easy stuffed mushroom recipe that makes use of chorizo fresco. It is combined with the stems from the mushroom caps, onions, panko, parsley and, of course, Manchego cheese. The result are some tastey bites that are just a little spicy and a lot flavourful. For best results and most even cooking, I recommend cooking the mushroom caps a bit in butter and water in a non-stick pan ahead of time so they don`t take so long in the oven and they cook evenly.
3 hot chorizo sausages, casing removed
18-20 large white stuffer mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot finely diced
1/2 cup Panko or bread crumbs
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1 shallot finely diced
1/2 cup Panko or bread crumbs
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1/3 cup coarsely grated Manchego cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the chorizo from its casing and crumble in to a medium sized frying pan. Fry until browned about 6-8 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool slightly.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms, chop finely and set aside. Peel and dice the shallot, set aside.
Sauté mushroom caps in a non-stick frypan for 2-3 minutes to partially cook. I used a mixture of butter and water to `steam-fry` them. Once cooked about half way, remove mushrooms from pan and set on a paper towel to drain.
Add the 1 tablespoon butter into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shallot and mushroom stems to the pan. Cook, stirring, just until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Panko or bread crumbs and toss and stir until toasted golden brown. Add chorizo back to pan and toss. Remove from heat and set aside in a large bowl. Once slightly cooled, stir in the Manchego cheese and parsley. Add into a food processor and pulse a few times. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of water to help the stuffing come together and bind. This will make it easier to stuff the mushroom caps.
Use a teaspoon or measuring spoon to fill the mushroom caps, mounding the stuffing in the cavity of the mushroom cap. Bake until stuffing is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the chorizo from its casing and crumble in to a medium sized frying pan. Fry until browned about 6-8 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool slightly.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms, chop finely and set aside. Peel and dice the shallot, set aside.
Sauté mushroom caps in a non-stick frypan for 2-3 minutes to partially cook. I used a mixture of butter and water to `steam-fry` them. Once cooked about half way, remove mushrooms from pan and set on a paper towel to drain.
Add the 1 tablespoon butter into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shallot and mushroom stems to the pan. Cook, stirring, just until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Panko or bread crumbs and toss and stir until toasted golden brown. Add chorizo back to pan and toss. Remove from heat and set aside in a large bowl. Once slightly cooled, stir in the Manchego cheese and parsley. Add into a food processor and pulse a few times. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of water to help the stuffing come together and bind. This will make it easier to stuff the mushroom caps.
Use a teaspoon or measuring spoon to fill the mushroom caps, mounding the stuffing in the cavity of the mushroom cap. Bake until stuffing is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
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