Chorizo sausage cooked in cider

Not everyone knows that Spain has a huge cider-drinking culture, but in the Northern region of Asturias there are plenty of apple orchards and sidra is a really popular drink. In the bars of Asturias, the waiters pour cider with a flourish - holding the cider bottle with one hand, a couple of feet above their heads, and pouring it into special glasses that are held below their waists with the other hand. This takes a fair bit of practice and unless you're happy to mop the floor up afterwards, not recommended to try at home!

A good apple cider is the perfect partner for our lovely chorizo sausage and this simple tapas dish is outrageously tasty. A cooking chorizo is essential, as is some lovely bread to mop up the sauce that's created. This dish is a classic and perfect to serve for friends as part of a tapas selection or as a simple starter.

Chorizo cooked in cider
Serves 6 as part of a Tapas Selection
1 pack of Spanish cooking chorizo sausages
2-3 glasses of apple cider
A little chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil for frying
Lievito Sourdough, cut into chunks

1. Remove the skins from each sausage by making a small cut along the side and pulling the skin away from the sausage, they come away really easily.

2. Cut the sausages into slices, slightly on the diagonal, roughly 2cm thick.

3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the sausages for a minute or so, want to brown them a little on each side.

4. Pour in the cider. You don't want to completely submerge the chorizo in cider, but pour in enough to come almost all the way up the sides of the sausage.

5. Keep cooking for about 4 or 5 minutes so the cider reduces by about two thirds. As the liquid reduces, it will emulsify with the fat from the sausage to give you a luscious, rich flavoured sauce that's amazing for bread mopping.

6. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with a little parsley and get stuck in.

Enjoy! And foodies, don't forget to tag us in your social post if you make this at home.