I wouldn’t be without chorizo in my kitchen. There’s always a chorizo ring in the fridge and some slices of chorizo in the freezer, portioned up so I can grab what I want when I need it, and occasionally some cooking chorizo.

Chorizo is a good long-lasting ingredient to include in your store cupboard staples. A small amount can help add bags of flavour and a different texture to dishes, or it can be used to pull together a quick and easy meal.

It’s versatile, lending itself to sandwiches, soups, stews, hashes, Spanish-style rice dishes, pasta sauces, tacos and much more.

It works well with many other ingredients, from eggs to beans or chickpeas, from seafood and white fish to chicken and pork, from potatoes or sweet potatoes to rice and pasta, from peppers and avocado to greens. Nearly everything is better with chorizo!

One of my favourite, indulgent weekend breakfasts is a cup of coffee with a thick slice of sourdough toast, topped with smashed avocado, some caramelised onions and peppers, fried mushrooms, crispy chorizo slices and a fried egg cooked in the chorizo fat. If I’ve got some black beans in the fridge or some leftover refried beans they’ll make it in there too. Maybe a small grating of cheese and a dribble of chipotle sauce on top for good measure!

And my go to ‘get it on the table quickly’ store cupboard meal is a chorizo and butterbean stew. So good!