Chouriço à bombeiro (fireman’s chorizo) has been on the menu at Bibo Wine Bar in Double Bay since it opened and always draws stares from around the room. I love the aroma and flavour of La Boqueria’s smoked chorizo for this dish. Traditional Portuguese chouriço tends to be drier than the more widely-available Spanish chorizo, so Jose recommends drying it out uncovered in the fridge for a few days. Charlie’s Deli in Petersham sometimes has the traditional oval terracotta dishes, called assador de barro, otherwise improvise with a wire rack over a shallow heat-proof dish. Aguardente bagaceira, the Portuguese version of grappa, is traditionally used for the flaming, but any spirit over 40% will work.
Serves 2 as a snack
Ingredients
- 1 chorizo
- 30ml grappa or similar alcohol
- Bread, for serving
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Cut 5 or 6 deep diagonal cuts into the chorizo without cutting all the way through.
- Place on an assador de barro or rack over a heat-proof dish.
- Place in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
- Pour alcohol into the hot dish under the chorizo.
- Place on a heat-proof mat on the table and ignite the alcohol.
- When flames subside, serve slices of chorizo with bread.
