In which I am a culinary genius

[desperance]

A genius, I tell you. Culinary. Me. *nods*

No, I am. I really am.

What did I do, you ask? What did I do?

I'll tell you what I did. No, I will. I'll tell you. Then you'll know.

I only invented the chorizo-stuffed mushroom, didn't I?

All right, I confess, I did not in fact invent chorizo. Nor the mushroom.

I didn't even invent this poor-man's way of making chorizo; the Mexicans do it all the time. (First mince your pork; then mungle it all up with a lot of relevant spicings and a glass of red wine, and stow it in the fridge to mature. Tupperware chorizo!)

But it was me, this very day as ever was, who thought to destalk a flat mushroom (you might want to chop the stalk into the chorizo; me, I just fed it to the cat), lay a thin disc of chorizo-mix over the gills and stick it in a medium oven for half an hour.

I am now eating this, where you are not. Also, fighting off unnecessary boys. It's gorgeous.

Comments

[spaceoperadiva]

Is it chorizo if it doesn't have lymph nodes in it? I was so unsettled to find lymph nodes as a chorizo ingredient that now I only get turkey-rizo or soy-rizo, to avoid the lymph gland issue.

[desperance]

Certainly it's chorizo if it doesn't have lymph nodes in it. Mine is pure shoulder, or else shoulder and belly. "Chorizo" is a label much more to do with spicings than ingredients. I'm sure the commercial manufacturers grind up all the difficult-to-sell organs and include 'em in all their sausages, unless directly stated otherwise; some will admit it, some won't. I'd be very surprised if chorizo were unique in this regard. Indeed, I hadn't heard it suggested until now.

[spaceoperadiva]

Every brand of commercially produced pork or beef chorizo that's sold here in South Texas lists lymph nodes as a prominent ingredient. I don't know if there's some requirement to warn people about lymph nodes or if it's some kind of regional traditional bit to put in chorizo. Either way, ewwh.

[desperance]

Interesting. I don't think I've ever seen it listed as an ingredient in the UK (tho' it's possible that I could find a pack of lymph nodes in the freezer at the Chinese supermarket). Personally, it wouldn't/doesn't worry me; I'm much in favour of eating every part of the pig except the squeal. It's sort of a matter of respect, not to waste anything of an animal that dies to feed you; but it's also that terminal curiosity I have. If they could cook the squeal, I'd eat it. Just to see.