Chorizo a la Sidra

Chorizo a la Sidra is Asturian, a small cazuela of smoky chorizo cooked in the natural cider Asturias drinks from wide glasses and pours from a height. Two ingredients, if they're the right two: chorizo asturiano and dry sidra natural. The sausage gives pimentón-red fat; the cider gives sharp apple and a little sweetness as it cooks down. That is what makes it this dish, not just sausage warmed in wine.

The method that decides it is simple: simmer the links whole and gently until they plump, then slice them only at the end. Boil them hard and the skins split, the fat runs out, and the sauce turns greasy before the cider has done its work. Keep it at a steady burble, turn the chorizos once or twice, and let the cider reduce to a glossy, red-stained spoonful. No sofrito, no garnish, no cleverness. The cider is the whole point.

Far from Asturias, look for Spanish cooking chorizo, fresco or oreado, not a crumbly fresh sausage from another kitchen and not pepperoni. If all you can find is a firmer cured Spanish chorizo, use it, but simmer it for less time and expect a tighter bite. For the cider, use a dry hard cider if you can't get sidra asturiana. Sweet cider makes a sticky sauce, so sharpen it with a spoon of cider vinegar and know the change. No hace falta haber pisado España. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.