When the weather is really cold, as it is at the moment and half of Spain is under a metre of snow, few things are better than a hot slow-cooked stew to satisfy your appetite. The famous Spanish dishes known as "Platos de Cuchara" are on everyone's mind. Something wholesome to warm 
the body. Today I bring you another interesting recipe made with typically Spanish ingredients. A beautifully rich and flavoursome braised pork and chorizo stew. If you have never tried it, it is well worth a go! Who doesn't like chorizo? Unless you are vegetarian of course. It is a recipe I love to accompany with mashed potatoes, not particularly Spanish though!
Although this is not a traditional recipe as such, the result couldn't be more Spanish. Although now isn't an ideal time for getting families together around a table, it is a recipe that will work wonders when feeding numbers. I love how the combination of pork shoulder and chorizo is complemented by the tanginess of the black olives and the sweetness from the paprika to create a tastebud bomb of a recipe which will definitely be a hit.
So why not give it a go and try out this delicious braised pork and chorizo stew. Don't forget the secret to a fantastic result is patience and slow cooking. It takes the time it takes, you just can't rush it. For six people you will need the following - if it is too much, you can always freeze the extra.
INGREDIENTS:
225g chorizo fresh cooking sausage - at most semi-cured
4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1 kg of lean Iberian pork shoulder, cut into large 3 cm cubes
180 ml of red wine - Crianza is ideal - Mercadona sell a great Crianza for €2,2 (Torre Oria)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
2 tablespoons tomato puree
400g of ripe chopped, skinned plum tomatoes - you can also use tinned
400ml fresh chicken stock - or ready-made stock from the supermarket if you don't have any.
4 springs of thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano, chopped
4 bay leaves
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
salt & pepper
2 teaspoons of caster sugar
110g pitted black olives
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan.
2. Skin and thickly slice the chorizo, add to the heated frying pan and fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the chorizo is lightly browned.
3. Using a slotted spatula, put the chorizo into a large, casserole pot, I use my old faithful Le Creuset pot. Try to keep as much of the oil as possible in the frying pan.
4. Add another tablespoon oil to the frying pan if necessary and brown the pork in batches before adding to the casserole pot.
5. Pour the wine into the frying pan and let it to come to a simmer, deglazing any of the caramelised meat juices stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol and then pour into the casserole pot.
6. Lower the heat, add the remaining oil and chopped onions to the frying pan and fry gently for 10 minutes or until soft, adding a little more oil if necessary. Add the chopped garlic to the onions and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
7. Stir in the paprika and then add the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock and herbs. Cook for a couple of minutes and then pour it all over the chorizo and pork in the casserole pot and mix it up well. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Bring the casserole pan to a quick simmer, turn the heat right down to a minimum and cover. Cook for at least 1 hour, stirring from time to time.
9. In a small pan, boil the sherry vinegar and caster sugar until it has reduced to about a teaspoon. Then stir it into the casserole with the black pitted olives.
10. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the pork is really tender.
Serve with mashed potatoes or rice or simply eat it on its own with some crusty bread.
Enjoy!