chorizo and rice pilaf recipe

Okay, so tonight I just couldn't be bothered hitting the shops - so I searched the pantry and fridge and came up with this. It was light, tasty and pretty darned healthy - so I thought I'd best share the recipe with you.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

1/2 spanish onion, finely diced

1/2 green capsicum, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

6 really ripe cherry truss tomatoes

olive oil

a splash of red wine

1 chorizo, diced

1 tin cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

salt, pepper, dried thyme to taste

1/2 lemon

Fresh parsley

1 cup of cooked rice {I used one of those microwave sachets - easy peasy!}

1/4 cup slivered almonds

Method:

Slowly saute the onions and capsicum until really tender. Add garlic and saute for a minute or so. Add the chorizo and leave to cook till crisp. I recommend turning up the heat and leaving to answer the phone. When you come back everything's really caramelised so you have to stir it really quickly and add some red wine and use a wooden spoon to add all that caramelised sticky yumminess to the sauce.

Throw in the beans and give it a stir. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and toss them in - giving them a squoosh with the back of the spoon. Add the rice and season to taste with salt, pepper and dried thyme. Just before serving add a good squeeze of lemon and toss parsley over the top. Throw in the slivered almonds and serve.

Both hubby and my gal loved it and boy, I reckon it would have been cheap. You could also add chilli and smoked paprika at the garlic stage if you are so inclined. I'll be making this again, and adding some chunks of poached chicken breasts perhaps.