As I write this post I’m a little under the weather.  And like much of humanity, when I’m on the mend and the worst bout of whatever-it-was has run its course, my thoughts drift back to childhood memories of home and how a bite of comfort food seemed to make everything alright in the world. Growing up in the Big Apple, it was always endless ladles of mom’s homemade chicken soup. 

As they say, a warm bowl of rich, stocky soup or stew, perfumed with just the right ratio of meat, potatoes, veggies, herbs and stock could turn a miserable frown upside down in no time flat!  While travelling to Spain last March, I swear I picked up a sniffle on my flight into Madrid. The whole first day in Wine Country I was fighting a losing battle with my sinuses, thanks in part to the raw winter weather and a failure to pack enough allergy meds.  Fortunately, I had a reversal of misfortune thanks to a very helpful farmacéutica at the pharmacy across the street from my hotel, followed a little later on by a heartwarming bowl of Patatas a la Riojana or Rioja-style potato and chorizo stew.   

Toothsome, savory and comforting, this traditional stew employs a healthy dash of hot Pimentón de la Vera or smoked paprika.  It was a delicious way to chase the cold blues away and paired very nicely with a glass of Dominio de la Heredia Rioja ($12.99 at ABCFWS).

The dish is actually fairly simply to prepare.  Here’s a great recipe from chef and author Teresa Barrenechea, from her book “The Cuisines of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cooking”.

Recipe courtesy of www.jamesbeard.org

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium-sized Spanish onion

2 chorizo sausages, about 1 pound

5 russet potatoes

1 tablespoon hot paprika powder

1 tablespoon salt

Yield: 4 servings

Method:

Peel and finely chop the onion. Heat a 2- or 3-quart stockpot over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the chorizo sausages in small (1/4-inch) dice and add to the onions. Stir for 1 minute more.

There is an old peasant trick to keep in mind when preparing the potatoes. Cut them so that they are the size of chestnuts. When cutting the potato, insert the knife only partway, so potato is not cut all the way through. To complete the cut, break the piece off. The broken edge of the potato allows its starch to be released more efficiently. Add them to the stew.

Add the paprika powder and salt. Stir the stew well. Increase the heat to high and add water just to cover the ingredients. Bring the stew to a rapid boil. When boiling is reached, turn the heat to medium low and let the stew simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. If additional thickness is desired, crush a few of the potatoes against the wall of the pot and mix them in before serving. Serve the stew in soup plates.

Jim Greeley, Southwest FL Wine Supervisor. Follow me on Twitter @abcwineJimG