August is such a bittersweet month for me. I love summer: the heat, the beach, baseball games, long bike rides, afternoons standing around a bbq, and a birthday bash for George.

But when August 1st rolls around and it feels like summer has just hit its stride, I always get a little bummed out. The evenings start getting noticeably shorter, back to school and Halloween stuff starts hitting the store shelves, and a few leaves start littering the grass. 

I've heard this described as the August Blues, which I guess is kind of like the Sunday Scaries, but for an entire month.

For a long time I've had a pretty bad case of FOMO. I would deal with this feeling by trying to jam as much stuff as possible into the month. The inevitable result was me becoming extra frustrated when rain canceled a beach day or mosquitos ruined a trip to the park. Those hiccups became devastating death blows to my enjoyment of summer in my mind. 

I'm trying to not put as much pressure on August anymore. Instead, I'm treating it like a recovery month. I have found that by slowing down, it makes it much easier to focus on and appreciate summer's smaller glories.

For me, one of those is easy dinners. Anytime we can make a meal at home with limited prep and clean up, it makes for a more relaxed, chill evening afterwards. 

Two chorizo sausages grilling on a bbq.

Choripán is quickly becoming one of our favourite August recipes for exactly this reason. Common in many countries in South America, it is both simple and delicious. Pick up a pack of Chorizo today to try something new for your next relaxing evening. We always add a side of sliced veggies and dip to round out the meal. 

 

Choripán Recipe

For the Chimichurri

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (125ml) olive or canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped parsley
  • 4 cloves of crushed garlic
  • 2 small red chilies (or 1 tsp chili flakes)
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

  • Chop parsley and chili peppers finely by hand or pulse in a food processor. Be careful not to over process; you don't want a parsley paste. 
  • Combine all ingredients and mix in a bowl or container. 
  • Let it mellow in the fridge for 20 minutes before using. 

For the Choripán

Ingredients

  • One pack of Plant Enhanced Chorizo links. Better if thawed overnight.
  • 8 pack of small hotdog buns or 4 large, depending on your preference and appetite.
  • Chimichurri.
  • Optional - pickled red onions.

Preparation

  • Pre-heat outdoor grill on high for 5-7 minutes. 
  • Turn down burners to medium low. 
  • Grill sausage for 12-15 minutes, flipping once, until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
  • Remove sausage from the grill and let rest for five minutes. 
  • Toast buns on the grill if that's your thing.
  • Add a generous portion of chimichurri to the bun, add the chorizo, optional pickled onions, and enjoy!

Notes

  • If you're using smaller buns, we recommend cutting the sausage lengthwise after it's cooked. 
  • You can cook sausages from frozen, but be careful to use lower heat to prevent splitting since they'll be on the grill longer. 
  • Sausages can be baked in the oven in a pinch if it's raining or you don't have a grill. We typically recommend 350°F for 12-15 minutes but use a meat thermometer for best results.
  • As always, cook to an internal temp of 160°F. 

 

Package of chorizo sausage

 

 

Written by James Battershill

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