So, I used to have this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad fear of chorizo. I would drool over yummy, flavorful looking Mexican dishes online or in cookbooks, only to read the recipe list and see that fateful word: “chorizo.” I would sigh and move on, sure that chorizo wasn’t for me. I mean, for one, it was spicy and for two, a sausage taco? Umm, no thanks. So I just bypassed all chorizo recipes and moved on with my life. But one day things changed.
I honestly don’t know what came over me–but in an instant at the grocery store I thought, well, maybe I should just try this chorizo thing. Then I can truthfully say I don’t like it and really move on with life.
When I came home from campus the very next day, I pulled out my trusty Rick Bayless cookbook, Mexican Everyday, found an innocent looking recipe, and got to work. With the exception of yelling for help when it came time to cut the casing off of the chorizo, preparation of these Chorizo and Potato Tacos was a cinch! Twenty minutes later, plate on the table and fork in hand, I closed my eyes, said a prayer, and dug in, expecting the worst.
Well, the worst never came. Instead I had a mouthful of flavorful meat with just a little bit of kick, sauteed fresh vegetables, and creamy potatoes. This isn’t so bad, I thought to myself, looking over at Ben chowing down happily. The spiciness that I had so feared was dulled by some cilantro stirred in at the end and was refreshingly contrasted by the cool, crumbly, mild Queso Fresco that topped the warm filling. In a flash, our plates were cleared and leftovers were nonexistent. Whoa. Talk about a surprise.
I have no idea what my fuss over choirzo was about, but it’s in the past now. Seriously, it’s not scary at all. I certainly will be on a quest to find more ways to enjoy chorizo in the future, and I’ve love your help on that.
If you enjoy chorizo, what’s your favorite way to serve it? If you don’t enjoy it or haven’t had it before, tell me why!
Chorizo and Potato Tacos
from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless
Ingredients:
- 7 1/2 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
- 1 tablespoon oil, if necessary
- 3/4 cup sliced yellow onion
- ~1/2 cup chopped green Carmen [or Bell] peppers
- 3 cups new potatoes, grated through your grater’s largest holes
- 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
- sliced tomatoes, for serving
- Queso Fresco, for serving
- your choice of tortillas, flour or corn, for serving
Directions:
Place chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat and cook for about four minutes. Stir frequently and break up into clumps, until some of the fat starts to render and sausage is half-cooked. Increase heat to medium-high and add oil if sausage isn’t rendering any.
Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring constantly until softened, about three minutes.
Place potatoes in the pan over mixture and cook covered until soft, approximately five minutes. Stir every so often and reduce heat if mixture starts to brown long before potatoes are soft.
Transfer mixture to a serving bowl and gently fold in cilantro. Serve with warmed tortillas, tomatoes, and Queso Fresco.
The Pajama Chef 
So crazy!! I just made an adaptation of this recipe for a post I was writing for the Mushroom Channel. Obviously mine included mushrooms 🙂 They were awesome and my fiance who had never had chorizo before declared it his new favorite thing!!
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I’ve only had Mexican chorizo once, and it was a big surprise (considering I was expecting Spanish chorizo, which is ENTIRELY different). But it was delicious! I’m glad you overcame your fear and discovered such a wonderful ingredient!
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Thanks for a great recipe, Sarah! One of my favourite SRC finds ever. Glad you overcame your worries about chorizo long enough to discover this recipe. 🙂
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so glad you enjoyed this recipe so much! your take was fabulous too. 🙂
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