Red Pepper and Chorizo Bruschetta
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 min.
Tosta de Pimientos con Chorizo, a bruschetta from Spain and a typical Tapas dish. The peppers' sweetness and the spiciness of the chorizos transform a simple sauce into a great " fast food" spooned on a toast. A mixed salad on the side and you have a sublime light lunch. Toasted pine nuts and feta or goat cheese as a substitute for the chorizos make this a tasty vegetarian dish.
Chorizo is a popular sausage made with pork; its relatively high fat content can be reduced by frying and draining it well over kitchen towels. Too much sauce left over? It can be easily used with pasta or served on top of your favorite choice of meat or fish.
The amount of pepper and salt will depend on your choice of chorizos. A Spanish chorizo's spiciness varies from sweet to very hot. Do not use the Mexican or Portuguese type of chorizo, it will fall apart during the cooking process. The Spanish chorizo can be cut into neat slices and keeps its shape.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 250 gr (about 1 cup) spicy Spanish chorizo, sliced into 1 cm (1/2 inch) rounds
- 1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 teasp Spanish smoked paprika
- 6 red peppers cored and thinly sliced
- 1 large red chili, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 small twig fresh oregano, finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 60 gr ( about 1/4 cup) fresh chopped cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 4 large slices of Italian or sourdough bread toasted
Preparation:
Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add chorizo rounds and sauté, stirring once in a while, until nicely browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sliced onion and sauté for 5 minutes longer. Add the Spanish paprika and the sliced peppers. Lower heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes or until peppers start to soften. Add the chili, garlic and oregano. Taste for salt and pepper.
Set heat to low and cover the saucepan. Braise pepper-onion mix for about 15 minutes. Peppers should be soft but not disintegrating. Leave enough sauce to coat the peppers. Season with sherry vinegar. Taste again for salt and pepper. Just before serving stir in the chopped cilantro. Spoon over the toasted bread. Serve on its own or accompanied by greens.