Chorizo is my new boyfriend.

So I'm going through a stage where I crave chorizo kinda like I craved mozzarella sticks back when I was pregnant.  I think it's all the Spain...On the Road Again that I'm watching.  

I made the menu up for last week and put Patricia Wells' Pork Sausage with Potatoes and Red Wine Vinaigrette on the list.  Which calls for "plump, coarse-textured smoked pork sausage, such as kielbasa".  Two pounds of it.  I don't know what happened, though, because I went to Whole Foods and stood at the meat counter, staring at the soft chorizo.  The man asked what I wanted and out of my mouth flew: "Two pounds of chorizo, please!"

And it turned out just fantastic:

Patricia Wells recommends a Beaujolais with her Frenchy version of this dish, but I went with a Sangiovese and Adam drank it with...some beer...probably a Dogfish Head.

Adapted from Vegetable Harvest by Patricia Wells

2 lbs. soft pork chorizo
8 small-medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
Several fresh or dried bay leaves

Red Wine Vinaigrette
1 cup red wine
1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c. red-wine vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish

1. In a large saucepan, combine potatoes and bay leaves.  Cover with cold water.  Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

2. Heat a skillet on med-high heat (I used stainless - nonstick doesn't give it the same crust...and you really shouldn't cook meat in your nonstick anyway).  Cook the chorizo until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes on each side.  Set on cutting board to rest.

3. In the same pan that you cooked the sausage in, pour the red wine and reduce to 1/4 c. over high heat.  Add the oil and vinegar and whisk to blend.  Taste for seasoning.

4. Drain and cut the potatoes and the sausage into 1-inch chunks.  Put on platter and drizzle with the warm vinaigrette.  Garnish with parsley leaves and serve hot.

I also cut some thick slices of crusty baguette, brushed each slice with olive oil, and grilled it.  It was excellent for sopping up the vinaigrette.


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