I’ve been rooting round in my kitchen since lunch and have found some interesting purchases!! I’ve got some great raw chorizo from the freezer and have lots of tins of various beans so I thought I’d combine two of my favourites into a Spanish inspired cassoulet which of course needs to be called my Snow Day cassOlé.

I’m a smoked paprika nut and the thought of creating a hearty Mediterranean stew, combining butter and flagiolet beans with spicy chorizo, which in this instance should be melt in the mouth rather than crispy, is making me drool!!!

After a quick herb and spices check and a root in the salad drawer in my fridge we are ready to go. This is gonna take a couple of hours so perfect for my snow day!

My Snow Day CassOlé

Ingredients
Glug of olive oil
8 raw chorizo sausages (these should be links, not a ring)
1 large red onion, chopped finely
Large Squirt of garlic tube or 2 cloves of chopped garlic
1 red pepper sliced
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tin butterbeans
1 tin flageolet beans
4 oz puy lentils
Large squirt tomato purée
1/2 glass red wine or port
1/2 pint chicken stock (cube is fine but I use bottle)
Mushrooms sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
Tsp Thyme ( or leaves from a stalk)
Tsp Rosemary (or needles from one stalk chopped)

Method
Heat the olive oil till hot
Add in chorizo and brown
Remove chorizo and set aside
Turn down heat and gently fry garlic and onions in the seasoned oil till softened.
Add in sliced pepper and soften for a couple of minutes longer
Add lentils and tomato purée and turn with a spoon till all coated
Add in tin tomatoes, stock and red wine and bring to simmer
Add paprika and herbs
Add in mushrooms and beans stirring to combine
Drop in chorizo and ensure there is enough liquid to cover all (if needed add more stock)
Cover and leave to simmer for another hour minimum
Take lid off for last 15 minutes to allow cassOlé to reduce slightly
Serve with crusty bread

This is on the hob bubbling now and the smells are already gorgeous!!

I can’t wait for supper, it’s going to be Flabulous!!!