The Gouda Life

I’ve been so completely all over the place lately that I forgot completely we were having some friends over for dinner last night. 

Not daring to ever serve guests take-out at my house (the reason for that is much less pretentious than it sounds, I just REALLY like takeout and want it all to myself) I opted for one of those marvelously simple one-pot-dinners. They save me from a life of Kraft Dinner on a pretty regular basis these days. A little protein, some starch, and veggies all thrown in a roasting pan with spices and out pops a fragrant and satisfying dinner good enough to serve dinner guests. Doesn’t that just sound like the bees knees? It really is. Let me show you! 

 

Since there are so few ingredients in this dish, try to buy the best quality you can afford. The chorizo should be fresh, the produce and chicken organic, and your wine glass full. Wait. What? There isn’t any wine in this dish, you say? That’s no reason no to have a full glass anyways. You’ve had a long day, I’m sure. 



One-Pot Spanish Chicken and Chorizo with Potatoes and Cauliflower
adapted from Life is Great

I found the hunks of chorizo to be quiet tough to chew on so I’m going to recommend you cut them up a bit smaller so your guests don’t hurt their mouths. No one likes to be beat up by their dinner. 

We served a simple salad of Arugula, Roasted Golden Beets, Toasted Pecans and Piave Vecchio cheese and some crusty bread to sop up the beautiful bright orange sauce on the side. 

8 large bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
1 large piece Chorizo (8-10”), cut into bite sized pieces
1 bag baby potatoes (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 2” florets
2 tsp dried oregano
zest or 2 oranges
4 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
1 small red onion, rough chopped
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

Dry the chicken with a clean towel (or paper towel) and salt on both sides. 

Pour the potatoes into a large roasting or jellyroll pan. Toss in the onions. Nestle the chicken thighs on top and tuck the cauliflower and chorizo around them evenly. Throw in the garlic cloves and sprinkle the oregano and orange zest evenly over everything. Give the whole pan a good drizzle of olive oil. 



Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to 170. Spoon onto plates and serve. 

Wasn’t that the easiest? Why don’t you have another glass of wine to celebrate? 

Remember when you were a kid and you used to sit at the adult table, looking on in disgust as your parents and their friends drank their smelly beer/wine, eating their odd looking food, and thinking to yourself “Ewwww, I will never eat or drink that stuff.”

That was me. I wouldn’ say I was picky, but every so often I would see or smell something that I wanted nothing to do with. Oysters, liver, kidneys, blood sausage, veal… those sorts of things. Things that typical hot-dog and chicken finger eating children are not exactly comfortable around. 

Two of those things in particular are oysters and mussels. I remember watching my dad eat a big bowl of mussels once, my eyes wide as he pried them open, loosening the tiny muscusy creature inside. I’m not sure I even knew they were living until much later in life. What did I think they were? I have no idea. I never thought about it long enough to ask the question. I just wrinkled my nose, made a gagging face to my sister and took another bite of my Kraft Dinner.

It wasn’t until recently that I gave some of my most feared foods a second glance. I’ve only been really adventuous food-wise in the past couple years. So as I sat at The Whalesbone Oyster House last year, staring directly into a selection of chef-selected oysters, my mouth was not exactly watering. But, much to my delight, they were no where near what I thought they would be. They weren’t as slimy as I thought, they tasted completely different than I had imagined, and I actually, gasp, enjoyed them! I guess this means I owe my dad apologies for years and years of turned up noses.

I figured recently, that if I liked oysters, how much could I really hate mussels? It was about time I gave them a shot. So I invited my best friend over for a dinner of food I didn’t know if I would like, from an ingredient I had never cooked. Obviously, I didn’t let her in on that information until she was already over with a glass of wine in her hand.

This recipes features mussels in a broth of caramelized onions, chorizo and a Spanish wine called Rioja. The chorizo and onions pack a punch of flavour on their own, but when the wine is added, it takes it somewhere completely different. And I strongly urge you have some crusty bread at the ready to sop up all the broth at the bottom of your bowl.



I should also mention that the mussels from T&T Superstore were delicious. If you’re looking for seafood in the Ottawa area, these guys are tops.  

Rioja Steamed Mussels with Caramelized Onions and Chorizo
adapted from Claire Robinson’s recipe.

Claire’s recipe calls to add the wine and mussels at the same time, but I wanted to be sure all the alcohol cooked off so you didn’t get hit with that smell or taste before anything else.

Note: while you’re cleaning the mussels, be sure to discard any that are already open. As well as any that haven’t opened in the cooking process.

2 large Chorizo links, about a pound
1 large or two medium Spanish onions, sliced or diced thin
Salt and pepper
2 lbs black mussels, cleaned and bearded
1 bottle Rioja (LCBO carries a few nice ones)
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, loosely chopped

Remove the chorizo from the casings and add to a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Cook until the fat has rendered and the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.





Add the onions and let cook, stirring occasionally, until they are deep golden brown. About 10-15 minutes. Add the chorizo back to the pan and pour in the bottle of wine. Bring to a boil and let it cook for a minute or two or until the alcohol taste/smell has disappeared. Add the mussels, cover with a lid and cook until the mussels have opened, 4-5 minutes.

Serve in a big bowl, topped with parlsey and served with a hunk of bread.

And just you try not to love them. I dare you.