Pork, chickpea & paprika stew: Porc.Wales

Recently I was approached by Porc.Wales, who had got wind of my obsession with their meat, with an eye to sharing a recipe.  This one seemed the obvious choice: a taste of my Spanish heritage, using Welsh pork in a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It's a firm favourite in our house, the kind of thing you look forward to all day long. As nights lengthen, winds howl and rain lashes, it's sure to warm the cockles.

It's simplicity itself, a one-pot special with big chunks and bigger flavours. 

• 1kg pork shoulder in 2in chunks
• 1 large white onion
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 4 carrots
• 200g chorizo, thickly sliced
• 1 head garlic
• Smoked paprika
• Sweet paprika
• Hot paprika
• Fresh parsley
• 200g dried chickpeas OR 2x 400g tins chickpeas in brine
• Tomato puree- 2 tbsp

Start by sprinkling your diced pork with smoked paprika.

Roughly chop your onions, carrots, chorizo and garlic: this is not a time for dainty pieces.

On a high heat, colour the pork in a large saucepan- in batches if needed- then remove and set aside briefly.

In the same pan, lower the heat and fry the onions and garlic.  Add a splash of olive oil if needed.

When they have taken on some colour, add the carrots and fry for another minute before adding the meat back into the pan.

Add your tinned tomatoes and the tomato puree and stir.

If you are using dried and pre-soaked chickpeas, add them now. the tinned variety can be added much further in to the process.

Finally, add your thick slices of chorizo, some hot and sweet paprika and leave to cook.

Add enough water to cover your ingredients. 

If you are using dried chickpeas, it needs to cook for an hour before you turn it down to a simmer for another hour, by which time the meat will be wonderfully tender. Add water to the pan if needed.

Serve with plenty of crusty bread and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

http://porc.wales/en