Chorizo & Sweet Potato Stew

I created this delicious, rustic dish by accident by throwing a few things together that I had to hand in my kitchen. The complimenting flavours and textures of robust chorizo, chickpeas, tender sweet potato and the subtle fragrant spice of cinnamon and smoked paprika make this dish a real winner.

I'd never written down the recipe before but my friend Emily has requested it. So Emily for you (and my work colleagues who always covet my lunch), here its is!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Olive oil
• 225g chorizo ring, finely sliced
• 6 new potatoes, sliced
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 green pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 150g easy cook long grain rice
• 1 can chickpeas, with juice
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 large sweet potato, cubed into bite sized pieces

Method:

1. Put a good glug of olive oil into a hot non stick pan and fry the chorizo and new potatoes for a few minutes until the juices from the chorizo are released and both are getting browned.
2. Add the onions and peppers and cook for  few minutes more until soft. 
3. Add the thyme, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika and stir well (at this point it will start to smell fantastic!)
4. Stir in the rice to make sure it is well coated with all the flavours, before adding the chickpeas (with the juice from the can) the tinned tomatoes (refill the can 3 times with water and add this too), the tomato puree, cider vinegar, worcestershire sauce and the stock cube. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Finally add the sweet potato, stir well, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until the rice is cooked and sweet potato is soft.

Leave to rest for 5 minutes and then serve in shallow bowls topped with freshly chopped parsley.

Great served with crusty bread and a few spiky hits of Tabasco sauce.