- 3 red peppers
- olive oil
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 12 sardines , head off, butterflied and boned
- 1 lemon , to squeeze
- 250g cooking chorizo , diced
- 1 red onion , sliced into fine rings
- sherry vinegar
- 1 small bunch basil
- Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Rub the peppers with a little olive oil and season. Put into a roasting tray and cook for about 30-40 minutes until blistered and charred. Remove, put in a bowl and cover with clingfilm - this will steam the peppers and make it easier to peel them. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and seeds, reserving any juice. Tear into strips and set aside.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, season lightly with salt and leave for 30 minutes. Lightly oil the sardines, season and squeeze over a little lemon juice. Put skin-side up under a hot grill until the skin starts to blister, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the chorizo in a splash of olive oil until it starts to crisp.
- Tip the oil from the chorizo into a bowl along with the peppers and juices from the tomatoes. Add enough sherry vinegar to sharpen and a little more oil if necessary.
- Toss the peppers with the tomatoes and chorizo. Arrange on a large serving dish alongside the sardines. Tear some basil over the top and spoon over the pepper dressing.
PER SERVING
684 kcalories, protein 54,1g, carbohydrate 12,6g, fat 46,7 g, saturated fat 14,3g, fibre 3,3g, salt 3,28 g
Give squid a go in this punchy restaurant-style starter, ready in minutes
Ingredients
- 400g cleaned small squid
- 200g sliced cooking chorizo
- olive oil
- 1 lemon , juiced
- 3 good handfuls rocket
- 150g feta cheese , crumbled
- Score the inside of the cleaned small squid with a criss-cross pattern, then cut into bite-sized pieces, keeping any tentacles whole. Fry the sliced cooking chorizo in olive oil until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon and add the squid. Stir-fry for a minute.
- Toss the chorizo, squid and pan juices with another large glug of olive oil, the lemon juice, rocket and crumbled feta.
- olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs (bone and skin on)
- 1 onion , halved and sliced
- 100g cooking chorizo , chopped into pieces
- 1 x 400g tin butter beans
- 200ml chicken stock
- ½ small bunch flat-leaf parsley , chopped
- Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat a little oil in a wide, shallow pan. Season the thighs all over, then put in the pan skin-side down and cook until crisp and golden. Turn and cook on the other side for a couple of minutes.
- Take the thighs out of the pan and add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the chorizo and cook for a couple of minutes. Tip in the butter beans and stock, then sit the chicken back on top. Transfer to the oven for 30 minutes to finish cooking the chicken. Stir the parsley through the butter beans. Serve the chicken and beans in shallow bowls with crusty bread, if you like.
PER SERVING
1004 kcalories, protein 67,4g, carbohydrate 22,6g, fat 72,1 g, saturated fat 22,6g, fibre 7,1g, salt 4,81 g
Subtle, sweet tomatoes work brilliantly with the intense flavour of prawns and chorizo
gredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots , diced
- 120g uncooked chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
- 6 large tomatoes , chopped
- 350g rigatoni
- 200g large prawns , shells and tails removed if necessary, chopped
- 2 large spring onions , thinly sliced, keep the whites and greens separate
- Put the oil, shallots and a good grind of pepper in a large, cold frying pan. Place over a low heat and slowly cook for 10 mins, stirring regularly, until softened.
- Add the chorizo to the shallots, turn up the heat (but not too much) and colour a little. When the orange oil is released into the pan, add the tomatoes and a good pinch of salt. Stir over a medium heat - the tomatoes should literally melt in about 10 mins. If the sauce is not bubbling, turn up the heat a little. Add 100ml water and bring to the boil. Gently simmer for a few mins more.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Add the prawns to the sauce, bring back to the boil and cook for 1 min until the prawns change colour. Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce with the spring onion whites. Cook and stir for 1 min. Serve sprinkled with the spring onion greens.
Per serving
462 kcalories, protein 22g, carbohydrate 60g, fat 17 g, saturated fat 4g, fibre 4g, sugar 8g, salt 1,14 g
Bypass the washing-up with this spicy one-pot dish
Ingredients
- 600g sweet potatoes , diced
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 large red onion , thinly sliced
- 400g cooking chorizo sausages , skinned and crumbled
- 400g can chickpeas , rinsed and drained
- 4 large eggs
- 1 green chilli , thinly sliced into rings
- Boil the sweet potatoes for 8 mins until tender, then drain. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large ovenproof pan and cook the onion and chorizo for 5 mins until softened. Add the sweet potatoes and chickpeas and cook for 5 mins more. Roughly break the mixture up with a fork, then flatten it down lightly to form a cake. Cook for a further 8 mins, without stirring, until cooked through, crispy and golden on the bottom.
- Heat grill to high. Break the eggs onto the hash, season, then place the pan under the grill and cook for 2-3 mins until the whites are set. Sprinkle with chilli to serve.
Chorizo with sweet potato & chickpea purée
Boil the sweet potatoes for 10 mins, add the chickpeas and cook for 5 mins more until both are very tender. Drain well, add a splash of oil and whizz to a purée in a food processor or with a hand blender. Fry the whole chorizo sausages and sliced onion together and serve on top of the purée.
Per serving
783 kcalories, protein 34g, carbohydrate 49g, fat 52 g, saturated fat 19g, fibre 8g, sugar 14g, salt 4,97 g
This dish is great for a casual get-together, just plonk it on the table with a big salad and bread and it's done
- 300g dried pinto or cannellini beans
- 1 onion , chopped
- 1 tbsp paprika
- thyme sprigs, bay leaves and bunch of parsley, tied together in a bundle
- 4 chicken thighs , skin on
- 250g small potatoes , cut into chunks
- 250g piece chorizo , chopped into large chunks
- 100g pack baby spinach
- Soak the beans for at least 4 hrs or overnight in a large bowl with plenty of water to cover. Next day, rinse and drain, then put in a large heavy based pan with the onion, paprika, herb bundle and chicken. Pour over enough water or stock to cover, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 mins.
- Remove the chicken to a plate, then add the potatoes and chorizo to the pan. Continue cooking for 30 mins until the beans and potatoes are tender.
- Discard the skin and bones from the chicken and tear into large chunks. Return the chicken to the pan with the spinach and simmer for 5 mins.
PER SERVING
803 kcalories, protein 55g, carbohydrate 60g, fat 40 g, saturated fat 13g, fibre 2g, sugar 4g, salt 1,35 g
Mop up the juices of this low-fat supper dish with crusty bread
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion , chopped
- small rosemary sprig, leaves finely chopped
- 25g chorizo or other spicy sausage, chopped
- 2 fat garlic cloves , crushed
- 700g/1lb 9oz bottle passata
- 410g can cannellini beans in water, drained
- 200g/7oz shredded green cabbage
- pinch sugar
- 4 skinless chunky fillets haddock or cod
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then soften the onion for 5 mins. Add the rosemary, chorizo and garlic, then fry for 2 mins more until the chorizo is starting to crisp. Tip in the passata, beans, cabbage and sugar, season, then simmer for 5 mins.
- Add the fish to the pan, leaving the tops of the fillets peeking out of the sauce, then cover with a lid and leave to cook for 3-5 mins or until the flesh flakes easily. Delicious served with crusty bread.
Make it for lunch - Spicy tomato & sausage soup
Soften the onions, rosemary, sausage and garlic as before, then tip in the passata, beans, cabbage, and sugar, along with 500ml vegetable or chicken stock. Simmer for a few mins until the cabbage is tender, then season and serve with grated Parmesan for sprinkling.
PER SERVING
304 kcalories, protein 36g, carbohydrate 27g, fat 6 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 0g, sugar 11g, salt 1,23 g
Pizza doesn't have to be bad. This thin spicy number is low-calorie, easy to make and tastes great
- 3 tbsp tomato pasta sauce
- 4 small Middle Eastern flatbreads
- 125g ball light mozzarella , shredded
- ½ small red or brown onion , cut into half moons
- 30g chorizo , sliced
- 2 tbsp sliced jalapeño peppers , drained
- 2 sprigs thyme , leaves only
- Heat the oven to the highest temperature possible. Spread tomato sauce on each flatbread. Put on a baking tray and sprinkle over the cheese, onions, chorizo and jalapeños, then the thyme and a bit of seasoning.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes until crisp at the edges. Serve with a green salad.
Per serving
486 kcalories, protein 24,5g, carbohydrate 52g, fat 21,5 g, saturated fat 7,1g, fibre 3,4g, salt 2,03 g
Wrap chicken in chorizo for an instant Spanish hit. Looks impressive enough for a dinner party too
- 2 large sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- thin slices chorizo
- 2 skinless chicken breasts
- few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped, half tsp dried thyme
- Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray, then toss with the oil, chilli flakes and seasoning. Roast for 10 mins, then remove and reduce the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
- Lay half the chorizo slices over each chicken breast, overlapping so the chicken is covered, then tuck the edges underneath to secure. Lift onto the baking tray next to the wedges, scatter the wedges with thyme leaves, then roast for 20 mins more, turning the chicken and wedges halfway until golden.
Per serving
422 kcalories, protein 39g, carbohydrate 54g, fat 7 g, saturated fat 2g, fibre 6g, sugar 15g, salt 0,66 g
A little spicy sausage can turn a plain pasta dish into a punchy midweek meal
- 200g rigatoni
- 75g chorizo , chopped into small chunks
- olive oil
- a pinch chilli flakes
- 2 sprigs rosemary , needles chopped
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 4 tbsp double cream (optional)
- Cook the pasta following packet instructions. Fry the chorizo in a little olive oil for 3 minutes. Add the chilli flakes and rosemary and cook for 1 minute then tip in the tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes then add the cream (if using) and stir well.
- Toss with the pasta and serve.
Per serving
685 kcalories, protein 23,3g, carbohydrate 82,7g, fat 31,3 g, saturated fat 13,7g, fibre 5,1g, salt 1,66 g
Get fantastic results with minimum effort, in this easy-to-make fish dish
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra to serve
- 50g chorizo , peeled and thinly sliced
- 450g salad or new potatoes , sliced (I used Charlotte)
- 4 tbsp dry sherry , or more if you need it (or use white wine)
- 2 skinless thick fillets white fish (I used sustainably caught haddock)
- good handful cherry tomatoes , halved
- 20g bunch parsley , chopped
- crusty bread , to serve
- Heat a large lidded frying pan, then add the oil. Tip in the chorizo, fry for 2 mins until it starts to release its oils, then tip in the potatoes and some seasoning. Splash over 3 tbsp Sherry, cover the pan tightly, then leave to cook for 10-15 mins until the potatoes are just tender. Move them around the pan a bit halfway through.
- Season the fish well. Give the potatoes another stir, add the cherry tomatoes and most of the chopped parsley to the pan, then lay the fish on top. Splash over 1 tbsp Sherry, put the lid on again, then leave to cook for 5 mins, or until the fish has turned white and is flaky when prodded in the middle. Scatter the whole dish with a little more parsley and drizzle with more extra virgin oil. Serve straight away with crusty bread.
Minted butter-baked potatoes
Sit 750g new potatoes in the middle of a large sheet of foil on a baking tray. Dot with 50g butter and season well. Seal the sides of the foil to make a parcel. Roast at 220C/fan 200C/ gas 7 for 1 hr. Open the bag, toss potatoes in their butter, then tear in a large handful mint and serve.
Per serving
534 kcalories, protein 47g, carbohydrate 39g, fat 19 g, saturated fat 4g, fibre 3g, sugar 5g, salt 0,79 g
Try this quick low-fat dish when you next fancy a fish supper, ready in less time than it takes to get a takeaway
- olive oil
- 1 garlic clove , sliced
- 4 thin slices chorizo from the deli counter, cut into matchsticks
- a pinch chilli flakes
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 thick cod fillets or other sustainable white fish fish
- green beans cooked to serve
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan then cook the garlic and chorizo for a few minutes. Add the chilli and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened, season.
- Meanwhile rub the fish with a little more oil, season and grill or steam until cooked through, about 4-6 minutes. Serve the fish with the sauce and green beans.
Per serving
252 kcalories, protein 31,5g, carbohydrate 5,7g, fat 11,6 g, saturated fat 2,2g, fibre 2,1g, salt 0,75 g
Try this colourful salad when you're looking for inspiration for a smart, easy midweek supper
- 250g cherry tomatoes , halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans
- 50g chorizo , sliced and quartered
- 1 small red onion , diced
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 50g bag salad leaves
- Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the tomatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with some of the oil. Season and roast for 20 minutes and then remove.
- Drain and rinse the beans. Tip into a bowl.
- Fry the chorizo in a non-stick pan until crisp, then drain on kitchen paper. Wipe the pan clean and add the olive oil, onion and seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the vinegar and reduce by half. Add the honey and whisk to emulsify.
- Pour the warm dressing over the beans and mix. Add the chorizo, tomatoes and salad leaves and mix again. Divide between 2 plates.
Per serving
365 kcalories, protein 16g, carbohydrate 35,5g, fat 18,7 g, saturated fat 3,9g, fibre 8,6g, salt 1,71 g
Warming Mexican flavours make a great midweek pick-me-up, and this soup is light on the calories too
ngredients
- 50g chorizo , cubed (use the hard variety)
- ½ each red and yellow pepper , diced
- 1 small red onion , chopped
- 3 garlic cloves , chopped
- 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 x 400g tin black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 lime , juiced, plus extra wedges, to serve
- 500ml vegetable stock
- Heat a large saucepan and add the chorizo. Cook until crisp, then remove.
- Reserve 1 tbsp of the pepper for garnish. Add the onion, remaining pepper and garlic, season and cook for 8 minutes. Add the paprika, cumin, beans, crisped chorizo, lime juice and veg stock. Cook for 15 minutes, and season again if needed. Serve in large bowls with the reserved pepper on top.
PER SERVING
304 kcalories, protein 16,3g, carbohydrate 33,5g, fat 12,5 g, saturated fat 4,1g, fibre 8,6g, salt 3,67 g
For a budget-friendly supper, Spanish-style, you can't beat this simple, spicy treat
Ingredients
- 2 large potatoes , peeled and cut into chunks
- olive oil
- 1 small red onion , halved and sliced
- 1 green chilli , sliced
- 100g piece chorizo , cut into chunks
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 eggs
- Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain really well then fry in 1-2 tbsp olive oil until golden. Scoop out the pan, then add the onion and chilli and keep frying until softened. Add the chorizo and paprika and cook for a minute then add the potatoes back and cook, tossing everything together.
- In a separate pan, fry the eggs. Serve on top of the potatoes.
Per serving
470 kcalories, protein 21,2g, carbohydrate 38,3g, fat 26,8 g, saturated fat 7,5g, fibre 2,9g, salt 0,98 g
Make the most of seasonal summer ingredients in this warm and spicy vegetable salad. It makes a great Spanish-style tapa too
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra for brushing
- 100g cooking chorizo , skinned and diced
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar
- 1 red pepper , halved and deseeded
- 100g fresh peas
- 100g broad beans
- 2 courgettes , sliced on the diagonal
- 400g can butter beans , rinsed and drained
- juice ½ lemon
- Heat grill to high. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 7-9 mins, until it is cooked through and has released its oil. Take chorizo out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce heat, whisk in vinegar, then remove pan from heat.
- Put the pepper on a baking sheet, cut-side down then grill for 3-4 mins, or until the skin blisters and starts to turn black. Put the pepper in a bowl and cover with cling film. Once it is cool, peel off the skin, remove the seeds and then tear the pepper into strips.
- Cook peas and broad beans in boiling salted water for 1-2 mins, then tip into a big bowl of ice cold water to keep their bright green colour. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a griddle pan until hot. Brush the courgettes with a little bit of olive oil, then cook on both sides for 1-2 mins until just tender but not soft.
- Add the butter beans and rest of the ingredients to the pan with the dressing. Add the lemon juice and seasoning and gently toss everything together.
PER SERVING
563 kcalories, protein 29g, carbohydrate 39g, fat 34 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 16g, sugar 12g, salt 3,83 g