Chorizo and Jamon Rice Soup

It should have been finished with Manchego cheese, but I used Grana Padano -sorry Spanish Manchego was not available. 

And the Jamon is actually from the Black Forest. But it is the idea that counts! A while ago I watched a travel series about Spain and in a rural area of the North a hearty soup was eaten. Protein was Chorizo and local raw ham and whatever veggies that were on hand. Rice acted as the filler.

Looking through my stash in the fridge and looking out of the window at snowy conditions, driving to a supermarket for fresh ingredients was not an option. I took out two small Chorizo and an opened package of ham. Then I remembered the Spanish rice soup. 

In my veggie drawer of my fridge was the basic soup stuff: carrot, celery, leek and spring onions. And I had made 3 jars of vegetable stock paste for the winter. And I am a rice horder with more than 10 different kinds of rice.

Some fresh cherry tomatoes, chili paste and cheese (the wrong one - but who cares?) to use too.

Recipe for 2:

1 tbsp olive oil

50 g Chorizo

30 g raw ham

1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 100 g leek, 1 spring onion, 5 cherry tomatoes

600 ml veg stock from paste

1 rice cooker cup longgrain rice

1 tsp chili paste

Salt, pepper, thyme

50 g Grana Padano

Start the protein in hot olive oil. After 5 min add the hard veggies and let them sear 3 min. Season. Now in with the washed rice and coat it well. Add the stock and the chopped tomatoes and cook for 15 min until the rice is done. 

Check seasoning and add chili paste and lots of cheese.