spicy chorizo minestrone

How to make spicy chorizo minestrone recipe - A classic Italian minestrone is given added spice with the use of chorizo, a Spanish cured pork sausage.

SERVES 8–10

PREP TIME 20 mins, COOK TIME 2 hrs

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
9oz (250g) red onion, chopped
8oz (225g) green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
9oz (250g) celery stalks, chopped
7oz (200g) carrots, sliced
8oz (225g) zucchini, roughly chopped, skin-on
2 x 14oz (400g) can chopped tomatoes
14oz (400g) can chickpeas
3 cups hot chicken stock
8oz (225g) cherry tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1lb 5oz (600g) chorizo
1 cup Parmesan rind
2oz (60g) kale, de-ribbed and chopped
8oz (225g) dried orecchiette pasta
6oz (175g) Portobello mushrooms, sliced

Method:
1 Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and add the garlic. Stir in the onion, pepper, celery, carrots, and zucchini. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas with their juices, stock, and cherry tomatoes. Season and bring to a boil.

2 Remove the skin from the chorizo and crumble the sausage meat into a frying pan. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until browned. Reserve the drippings and transfer the chorizo to the soup pot, along with the Parmesan. Stir to incorporate, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour 45 minutes.

3 Stir in the kale and pasta. Cook for a further 15–20 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.

4 Meanwhile, cook the Portobello mushrooms in the frying pan with the chorizo drippings over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, until browned. Season to taste. Serve the soup hot, topped with the Portobello slices.