Serves 4
Ingredients:
750g (1lb 10oz) Comber Earlies potatoes
Sea salt
150g (5oz) chorizo
65ml (5 and a half fl.oz) extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
50ml (2 fl.oz) sunflower oil
2 egg yolks
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated or crushed
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Half teaspoon smoked paprika, sweet or hot
150g (5oz) roasted red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220’C/200’Fan/425’F/Gas mark 7.
2. Scrub the Comber Earlies potatoes clean and boil them in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. If they’re quite large I pour off two thirds of the cooking water after 10 minutes of boiling and allow them to steam for the remaining time, over a low to medium heat, covered with the saucepan lid. This ensure that they’re not too soggy when cooked. Drain the potatoes when cooked.
3. While the potatoes are cooking chop the chorizo into cubes, peeling the chorizo sausage first, if the skin is tough. Place the chorizo in an unpreheated pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and place over a low heat to cook for about 5-6 minutes, tossing every so often. This slow cooking will ensure that the fat from the chorizo melts out as a rich amber coloured oil that you’ll be using in the aioli. When the chorizo has cooked and is golden brown pour it into a sieve that you have sitting over a bowl, pressing down on the chorizo to release every bit of oil and scraping all of the oil out of the pan.
4. Add the remaining olive oil to the chorizo oil.
5. Cut the potatoes in halves or wedges and lay out on a baking or roasting tray. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the chorizo-scented olive oil, toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for approximately 10 minutes until golden around the edges. Take out of the oven and set aside.
6. Add the olive oil to the sunflower oil in a jug. Place the 2 egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl (not a stainless steel one as it can colour the aioli) and add in the garlic and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Start pouring the oil in VERY slowly, in a thin steady stream while you whisk all the time. Only start pouring more oil in once the last lot has emulsified into the egg yolks. The mixture should start to look smooth and creamy. If the oil goes in too quickly the mixture will split. Once all the oil is in add in the smoked paprika and taste for seasoning, it might need more lemon juice and salt.
7. Place the roasted Comber Earlies potatoes on a serving plate and scatter over the roast red pepper pieces, followed by the chorizo, then drizzle half of the aioli over the top, placing the rest in a bowl for serving.
8. Scatter the chopped parsley over the top of the salad, and serve.
