Toasted Vermicelli Noodles with Chorizo

From 'Mexico The Cookbook' by Margarita Carrilo Arronte

This recipe is from one of the Guest Chefs that feature in Mexico The Cookbook; Alex Stupak. Alex is always pushing himself and his team to explore the flavours of Mexican cuisine; that's why he named his resturants Empellon Taqueria and Empellon Cocina, as Empellon means ;to push' in Spanish.

Ingredients:

• 350g dried angel hair pasta
• 2 tbsp butter
• 120g crumbled Mexican chorizo
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 150g tomato paste
• 475ml chicken stock
• 75g canned black beans
• Salt
• 120ml Mexican cream
• 4 tbsp grated cotija cheese
• 36 coriander leaves
• 24 thin slices of red radish
• 4 tbsp white onion, minced
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano

Recipe:

1. Place the dried angel hair pasta in a bowl and, with your hands, break into approx. 1 inch pieces.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until slightly brown. Place the pasta in the saucepan and stir to coat with the brown butter. Continue to cook the pasta until it has turned a light brown colour. Transfer the pasta back into an empty bowl and set aside.
3. Place the crumbled Mexican chorizo into the same saucepan and let it brown and render over medium heat.
4. Add the minced garlic to the chorizo and cook for 4 minutes.
5. Add the tomato puree and cook until reduced and thickened.
6. Add the chicken stock and black beans and bring the mixture to a simmer. Season to taste with salt.
7. Combine the toasted angel hair pasta into the saucepan with the black beans and continue to simmer while stirring constantly. Cook the pasta until the noodles are barely tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
8. Add the cream to the noodles and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
9. Lay out 4 warmed plates and place a generous serving of noodles onto each plate. Garnish each plate with the cotija cheese, coriander leaves, red radish slices, minced white onion, and Mexican oregano.