Bocadillo de Chorizo a la Sidra Asturiano

Bocadillo de chorizo a la sidra is Asturian: cooking chorizo simmered in the region's sharp natural cider, split into crusty bread with the red, glossy juices spooned over. Esto es de Asturias, no de "España" a secas. What makes it this dish is the cider, not wine, not beer, not a sweet bottled drink pretending to be sidra.

The method that decides it is the simmer. Prick the chorizos, cover them halfway with dry cider, and let them bubble gently until they plump and give their pimentón fat to the pan. Too hard a boil toughens the skin and throws the fat out in a greasy rush. Low and steady gives you a sausage that cuts cleanly and a sauce that soaks the bread instead of drowning it.

If you're far from Asturias, buy Spanish cooking chorizo if you can, the fresh or semi-cured kind meant for the pan. Fully dry slicing chorizo is not the same; it will be firmer and saltier, so simmer it less and slice it thin. For the cider, choose a dry, tart hard cider with no added sweetness. No hace falta haber pisado España. With good chorizo, dry cider, and bread with a real crust, siempre sale, si lo sigues.