Fate has delivered - Chickpea and Chorizo stew.

A while back, I used to frequent the Spanish Deli 'Brindisa' located down the road from my office in Exmouth Market. Among other good things, at lunchtimes they sold a gorgeous chickpea and chorizo stew. I thought it was fantastic and used to eat it pretty often. I always meant to find out the recipe, but somehow never got round to it. Then one day, disaster struck....Brindisa's Exmouth Market branch closed - how would I ever find out what was in that lovely stew? (They have another, still open branch at Borough Market - but for the dramatic purpose of this story, lets blank that from our minds for now).

So, the recipe and the memory of its sheer tasty'ness consigned to history, I was round my parents house the other weekend and happened to end up idly looking at my Mothers Recipe books. I picked up one, 'How to feed your friends with Relish' by Joanna Weinberg.....I'm flicking through - and whats this I see? do my eyes deceive me? Chickpea and Chorizo stew! the actual recipe from Brindisa in Exmouth Market - its actually namechecked. Sweet Fate! Obviously it was meant to be.

So with no time to waste - I 'borrowed' the book promising to return it at some undecipherable date in the future (I mumbled that bit - a good trick). And rushed home to make it as fast as my manly legs could carry me.

Now the recipe in the book serves 25!!! So I scaled it down a bit by cunningly halving it, and then halving it again....errr.........so that serves 6 (and a bit). Enough for two nights of large portioned (oooer) stew goodness for me and the girlfriend.
The best thing is - it tasted exactly the same as I remember it, and my girlfriend scored it a very reputable 8 and a 1/2 out of 10. Which means no sulking on my part followed up by the traditional blazing row, instead it was all cheesy grins and much self satisfied back slapping.

Anyway, here's the scaled down adapted Recipe....

Chickpea and Chorizo Stew
Serves 4-6

250g Fresh Cooking Chorizo cut diagonally into 3cm chunks
150g Pancetta, chopped.
1 Medium Red Onion - chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper - deseeded and chopped
Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves - chopped
1 and a 1/2 Teaspoons dried Oregano
250g Passata
2x 400g Cans Chickpeas, drained with 75ml of the water reserved.
100ml White Wine
500ml Chicken Stock or water.
Hand Full of fresh flatleaf parsley chopped.
Black Pepper

Fry the Chorizo and pancetta in a large saucepan over a fairly high heat until it begins to colour and releases oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and fry the onion and bell pepper in the meats oils, adding extra olive oil if necessary, until golden.

Return the meat to the pan, turn the heat down, and add the garlic and oregano and fry for a few more minutes. Add the passata, chickpeas. chickpea water, wine, stock and some pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 Min's. Add the roughly chopped parsley to serve.

Like most stews, this is best made in advance and reheated and eaten the next day. I served it with a bit of rice and crusty bread.

Credit Crunch strikes Brindisa.

Whilst walking in Exmouth market on Thursday lunchtime to purchase my weekly treat from the Moro's stall (See Clerkenwll lunch options #2:- 29th January), I was shocked to see an Exmouth Market Institution had closed.

Brindisa - The seller of all things tasty and Spanish has succumbed to the financial pressure and shut up shop for good...(The Exmouth Market branch at least, the Borough Market shop is still open, as are the three tapas cafes.)

What a shame this is.

I never bought much from Brindisa- lunch now and again (Gorgeous Stew), chorizo sausages and bits and bobs. The thing is, I always imagined I'd have all the time in the world to sample the treats on offer. And now my local convenient outpost has gone.

It just goes to show how hard times are for the Independent shops.

So, if you have a local Independent shop that you love...show them your custom - go out and treat yourself (if you can afford it of course!) to a taste of that Gran Reserva Joselito ham or those speciality cheeses you've been eyeing up, before it's too late and all our street scenes are that much emptier and blander.

Brindisa Borough Market.
Floral HallStoney St
Borough Market
London, SE1

Clerkenwell Lunch options Part 2 - Moro on the cheap.

The second part of my Clerkenwell budget lunch reports, featuring one of my real favourites - Lunch from a famous Clerkenwell restaurant for the bargain price of £5!

But perhaps first, I feel I should warn you...I suspect it's not the healthiest lunch and at £5, it's stretching the 'budget lunch' description a little, especially when most people are rushing out and grabbing a sandwich from Pret for £3.50 or so.

But believe me, it is so good.

I try and treat myself to one of these a week - normally on a Thursday or a Friday when the weekends approaching, the shackles of office life are fading and I'm feeling carefree and a bit decadent.

So where do you get to sample this dish?

From Clerkenwell Green, we head North once again to Exmouth Market.....roughly half way down the Market we have the almost legendary Moro's....but we're not going in.

Turn your head, towards the street food seller stalls arranged down the street. One of these stalls belongs to Moro's - and for the insultingly low price of £5 you can have a taste of their wares.

For part of the year - the Moro's stall sells Paella - which isn't really my bag.

But the other part of the year they sell this beauty -

A toasted flatbread, heaped with shredded spicy lamb, hummus, couscous salad, yoghurt dressing and a sprinkling of chili flakes.

Stunningly good. The Lamb especially - the consistency is incredible. The only thing I can think of that comes close , in feel, as well as to look at - is Chinese crispy Duck.

I spoke to the guy that runs the stall a while back, and asked if the Recipe was in the various Moro cookbooks (It's not) he then proceeded to explain how it was made - but sadly I have a sieve like memory at the best of times and the method is lost.
But, I believe he said they cook Lamb shanks, until the meat falls from the bone, and then they dry and fry it.

Whatever the method, if your in the area - you have to try one of these.

Moro Stall, Exmouth Market EC1