When I watch cookery programmes, I try to keep a notepad nearby. If something pops up I love the look of, I can scribble it down immediately. Even if the recipe is published online afterwards I find there are little bits and pieces that are not always included in the full rundown. Extra seasoning, tips to look out for… like making notes when studying, I find it really useful to have my own version of events. They tend to come out as flow charts or odd diagrams as they make more visual sense to my brain.

So I was thumbing through an old notebook and found this recipe that I’d completely forgotten about. From Jamie Oliver’s Jamie Does… series, he cooked this summery salad in Andalucia. I had some home-grown tomatoes begging to be used, a lump of chorizo in the fridge (as there so often is) so it was a straightforward decision!

Given the absurdly inseasonal weather this weekend this fitted the bill perfectly. A little poke, sharp from vinegar with fresh tomato flavours, it goes great alongside any BBQ dish.

Tomato and chorizo salad (serves 2):

100g chorizo, cut into chunks

6 tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Sherry vinegar

Handful of roughly chopped parsley

1. Heat a little oil in a pan and throw in the sausage. Fry for a few minutes until browned on all sides.
2. While the chorizo cooks, chop up the tomato and parsley and pop into a serving dish. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
3. Once the chorizo is cooked, add a good shake of sherry vinegar and the garlic, and cook for 30 secs. Scoop out the chorizo with a slotted spoon and toss into the tomatoes (reserve the oil for frying something else really tasty, like a roast chicken or potatoes).