Glossary of food terms: C
Chorizo
A spicy Spanish sausage with new-found popularity. Pronounced 'chor-eetho', it's made all over Spain, as well as in Portugal, where it's spelled 'chouriço'. There are lots of regional varieties but all are made with pork and flavoured with pimentón (smoked paprika).
There are two main types - an air-dried sausage that can be sliced and eaten like salami and smaller fresh sausages that must be cooked before eating. Chorizo is made in lots of countries, but buy Spanish or Portuguese ones for the real thing.
It's available smoked or unsmoked, mild or spicy and is sometimes flavoured with garlic or wine. Fresh chorizo sausages are delicious fried or grilled and are perfect for barbecuing, or try them skinned and crumbled into stews. Sliced and grilled they're a popular tapas dish.
Serve the air-dried chorizo cut up in salads, or as a starter with other sliced meats, olives and cheeses, or stirred into rice or pasta dishes. Store both types in the fridge wrapped in foil or waxed paper.
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