Lamb & Chorizo Chilli

When you go searching in the freezer for something for dinner, when your meat supply is low and pickings are slim, you can sometimes be disheartened and lacking motivation to put together something nice for dinner. That’s what happened to me the other night. Two lonely lamb chops jumped up out at me and I was just lacking any inspiration for dinner that night. I’d only recently had it done Greek style, and then Moroccan but little would I have thought to do it Mexian-style in a chilli.

I googled some ideas and came across a recipe on one of my favourite web sites, Epicurious.com for a Spicy Lamb and Chorizo Chilli. Yay! I had chorizo too and tortillas in the freezer. Dinner was organised. This recipe is perfect for the slow cooker and freezing. I’ve got just enough leftovers for more tortillas or even as a filling for individual pies.

Lamb and Chorizo Chilli
(based on recipe https://frederickareabridal.net/community/stephan/ from Epicurious.com)

2 lamb shoulder chops (or any other cut of lamb suitable for slow cooking)
1 chorizo, sliced
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 cup stock
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs dried cumin
1 can red kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
salt & pepper

To serve:
tortillas (I popped each tortilla into a lightly greased pan for a minute each side to crisp up.)
coriander (cilantro)
sour cream

1. Pan fry lamb chops until browned and place in slow cooker (or alternatively in an oven proof dish if cooking in the oven).
2. Pan fry sliced chorizo until crispy and place in slow cooker.
3. Deglaze the pan with red wine vinegar and stock and pour over meat in slow cooker.
4. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 4 hours.
5. Serve in a bowl with warmed tortillas for dipping or spoon into warmed tortillas, top with coriander and sour cream to serve.

Serves 2.

Spanish Pork Potatoes & Chorizo

Nothing like a warm, hearty stew to warm you at night and this slow cooker meal hit the spot. I used pork forequarter chops, with the bone in, for this. The cheaper cut of meat for the slow cooker or stewing, the better. The meat just falls off the bone and is tender and soft. There’s just something about potatoes and chorizo. They nearly go together as well as chocolate and peanut butter (oh no, did I mention that again).

Spanish Pork Potatoes & Chorizo

2 pork forequarter chops (or other cut of pork suitable for slow cooking)
3 medium potatoes, quartered
1 chorizo sausage, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced finely
1 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs red wine vinegar (or any wine vinegar)
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbs plain flour
1 tbs sweet paprika
6 sprigs thyme (or 1 tbs dried)
green olives (optional)
chopped parsley to serve

Pan fry the pork in the olive oil. Once browned, add to the slow cooker. Fry sliced chorizo in the same pan and once crispy, add to the slow cooker. Deglaze the pan with the wine vinegar, add the flour and stir for a couple minutes, the add the stock. Stir until thickened and add to the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on slow for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours (or in the oven for an hour and a half on 180 deg C). Add olives and chopped parsley to serve.

Serves 2.