Chorizo

Chorizo is a sausage that uniquely reflects its region of origin. Spanish chorizo is seasoned with garlic, pimentón – a smoked paprika – and salt. It is sold as picante (spicy) or dulce (sweet), depending upon the type of pimentón used. It is fermented, cured, and smoked so that it can be sliced and eaten without cooking, or used to flavor other dishes such as fabada or potaje de garbanzo. In Mexico, chorizo is a fresh product that requires cooking and may be made from pork, beef, venison, chicken, and turkey and generally is spicier than its Spanish cousin. Mexicans also enjoy a green chorizo from Toluca made with tomatillo, cilantro, chili peppers, and garlic. Further South in Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, chorizo is the generic name for any fresh coarse meat sausage while Spanish-style chorizo is called “chorizo español.”