San Simon cheese is a Spanish cow's milk cheese which is molded into a pear shape and lightly smoked. The flavor is similar to scamorza, Italian smoke mozzarella, wherein it is buttery, nutty, and smokey.
Unlike San Simon, which gains most of its flavor from being smoked, Chorizo gains its flavor and vibrant color from smoked paprika. The spice prickles your tongue and lingers in your throat, making it positively addictive. Every time I pass by the little horse-shoe shaped sausage I have to cut of a piece and savor it.
Unlike San Simon, which gains most of its flavor from being smoked, Chorizo gains its flavor and vibrant color from smoked paprika. The spice prickles your tongue and lingers in your throat, making it positively addictive. Every time I pass by the little horse-shoe shaped sausage I have to cut of a piece and savor it.
So it is no surprise that these two smokey treats can be delicious when applied to just about anything. I decided to make a day of it, and enjoyed both with my breakfast and lunch (it's not dinner time yet). Enjoy!Best Breakfast: Sunny Side Up Eggs with Chorizo, San Simon, and Scallions
This delicious breakfast was suggested by Rafael from the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, who helped me select the fantastic San Simon and Chorizo. Thanks Rafael!Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon chopped chorizo picante
1 tablespoon grated San Simon cheese (or scamorza)
2 teaspoons thinly sliced scallions
Fresh Groud Pepper
Drizzle of olive oil or nonstick spray
Heat a small pan over medium heat. Drizzle lightly with olive oil or spray with nonstick spray. Add the chorizo and let it render for a few minutes (like 2 or 3). Crack both eggs over the chorizo, sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and the cheese. Cover pan for one minute. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the egg white is opaque. Garnish with scallions and enjoy!
Challah Grilled Cheese with San Simon and Chorizo, with Tomato Pisto Soup
For the soup:
Ingredients:
3 large heirloom tomatoes, quartered with tops removed (meaning the part with small leaves attached to the main fruit)
1 red onion, quartered
2 small japanese eggplants
2 bell peppers, skin, pith, and seeds removed, and quartered.
1 head of garlic
1 14 oz can of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of chorizo picante, chopped
Salt
Pepper
2 teaspoons of chopped Thyme leaves
Olive Oil
Pre heat the oven to 400 F. Place the tomatoes, onion, and eggplants on an edged baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Peel the entire head of garlic and place the cloves, save one, in a sheet of aluminum foil. drizzle with olive oil and salt and wrap into a ball. Add the ball to the baking sheet and place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until everything if soft and juicy and the onions are slightly caramelized.
Meanwhile, peel the bell peppers by charring them over an open flame then placing them in an ice water bath until cooled. The skin should peel right off.
Once the vegetables are done roasting, remove from the oven. Leave the ball of garlic in the oven for an extra 10 minutes. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh of the eggplant and place in a blender. Remove the outer skin of the onion and place the rest in the blender. Remove the skin of the tomatoes (they should fall right off) and place the tomato flesh and juice in the blender. Add the bell pepper, roasted garlic, chopped thyme, and about a teaspoon of fresh ground pepper and salt. Blend until soupy (meaning, not pureed like baby food, but not too chunky).
Add the mixture to a pot. Add the can of chicken stock and stir over medium heat. Meanwhile, render the fat from the chorizo in a separate pan and add just the fat/juices to the soup, reserving the chorizo bits. You can eat these yourself or use them for garnish.
Allow the soup to simmer for at least 30 minutes, to thicken. Mince the clove of raw garlic and add to the soup. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. The soup is quite sweet, so a good deal of salt will be needed. The longer the soup simmers, the deeper the flavors will become, so feel free to make ahead and simmer away. Enjoy!
For the Grilled Cheese:
1/4 cup grated San Simon cheese (or scamorza)
4 thin slices of chorizo, halved
2 slices of Challah bread (or any egg bread)
1/2 tablespoon butter
The Challah bread is rich and slightly sweet, balancing out the smokey cheese and meat perfectly.
On one slice of bread arrange half of the cheese, the chorizo slices, and then the rest of the cheese on top. Take the other slice of bread and press down. In a small pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once the pan is heated and the butter is completely melted, put the sandwich into the pan. Cook until the bottom is browned and the cheese is starting to get gooey. Flip, and cook until the other side is brown and the cheese is completely melted. Slice in half and enjoy!
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