This recipe sure sounded nice, and it did in fact taste nice too, but was it worth it?

I did a few alterations, like not cooking the shallots as long as I should have (I got impatient), and I used a tin of tomatoes a few small fresh tomatoes, instead of using 6 large fresh tomatoes. Not only did that cut down on cooking time, it just seemed the easier and cheaper option since I didn’t have to go out and buy extra tomatoes.

So even with my cheats, it still did taste good, nothing wrong with the combination of prawns and chorizo. I don’t think this is really a recipe I need to keep filed away, as really, how hard is it to fry up chorzio, make a tomato sauce and chuck some prawns in it?

Rigatoni with Spiced Prawns, Tomatoes & Chorizo
John Torode

4 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots , diced
120g uncooked chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
6 large tomatoes , chopped
350g rigatoni
200g large prawns , shells and tails removed if necessary, chopped
2 large spring onions , thinly sliced, keep the whites and greens separate

1. Put the oil, shallots and a good grind of pepper in a large, cold frying pan. Place over a low heat and slowly cook for 10 mins, stirring regularly, until softened.

2. Add the chorizo to the shallots, turn up the heat (but not too much) and colour a little. When the orange oil is released into the pan, add the tomatoes and a good pinch of salt.

3. Stir over a medium heat – the tomatoes should literally melt in about 10 mins. If the sauce is not bubbling, turn up the heat a little. Add 100ml water and bring to the boil. Gently simmer for a few mins more.

4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Add the prawns to the sauce, bring back to the boil and cook for 1 min until the prawns change colour. Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce with the spring onion whites. Cook and stir for 1 min. Serve sprinkled with the spring onion greens.