Morcilla de Burgos

Morcilla de Burgos is Castilian, from Burgos, and the rice is what gives it its name at the table. Not every morcilla is this one. This one is pig's blood, rice, onion, lard, and spice, cooked in a casing, then sliced into thick coins and fried until the rice at the edge goes brown and crisp.

The method that decides it is the pan. Hot oil, thick slices, and no fussing. If the pan is timid, the morcilla slumps and leaks before it browns. If the oil is properly hot, the casing tightens, the rice toasts, and the center stays soft. Leave each slice alone until it has a crust, then turn it once.

If you can't find Morcilla de Burgos, look first for morcilla de arroz, rice blood sausage, from another Castilian or northern Spanish maker. It will get you close, though it may have less onion sweetness. Black pudding is a last resort; it feeds you, yes, but oats and barley make a different sausage. Slice it thicker and fry it gently. No hace falta haber pisado Espana, but the rice matters here.

Serve it hot, with bread and perhaps roasted red peppers if you have them. That's enough. Pésalo, no lo adivines, when you're portioning, and don't crowd the pan. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.