Sausage and bean soup

Watch recipe17 mins

This punchy chorizo and bean stew from Nigel Slater makes a perfect storecupboard supper for a winter evening.

Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 large or 2 medium carrots
• a rib of celery
• a tablespoon of fresh oregano leaves, plus extra to serve
• 3 chorizo sausages (about 400g/14oz)
• a couple of pinches of crushed dried chillies
• a pinch of fennel seeds
• 3 or 4 strips of orange zest, plus extra grated zest, to serve
• a glass of dry sherry
• 5 or 6 decent-sized tomatoes
• 2 x 400g/14oz tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and black pepper

Preparation method

1. Warm the olive oil in a deep, heavy-based pan. Peel the onions, roughly chop them and add them to the oil, stirring to coat them, then let them cook at a moderate heat until they start to soften.
2. Peel the garlic, slice it thinly and stir it into the onions. Scrub and finely chop the carrots, chop the celery and add to the pan together with the carrots. Leave to cook, partially covered by a lid, until the onions are soft and pale gold. Stir in the oregano leaves.
3. Cut each chorizo sausage into about four fat chunks. Mix these in with the softened onions then add the crushed, dried chillies, fennel seeds and strips of orange zest. Pour in a glass of dry sherry, vermouth or white wine and bring the mixture to an enthusiastic bubble.
4. Chop the tomatoes roughly, add them to the pan and bring them to the boil, then add the drained beans, and a canful of fresh water. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and leave to cook, slowly, half-covered with a lid, for 45 minutes.
5. Just before serving add a little more oregano and some grated orange zest. Serve in shallow bowls, making certain everyone gets a fair bit of sausage.