Chorileta: Choripan with smoked provolone and chimichurri

Co-owner of Chimichurri Argentinian BBQ Javier Di Leo gives us his recipe for choripan – with a twist.

Every Argentine knows what a choripan is. It’s more than a sandwich for us; it’s a feeling. The very mention of it sparks memories – of the smell of smoke from burning charcoal and wood; of family and friends gathering around the BBQ; of the “asador” (cook) with a red face from the heat, desperately in need of a beer.

Nobody likes to clean up afterwards, so to avoid the need for cutlery, the provolone has to be inside the choripan, hidden under the chorizo. By peeling the skin off the chorizo, you can use the meat as a barrier so the cheese doesn’t melt away. We grill everything until it’s crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside – then allow it to cool before topping it with plenty of chimichurri.

As simple as it gets, this is Argentine cooking at its best – fire, meat, cheese, bread, and sauce. But it’s so much more than that: it’s the smoke, the laughs, the music, the ritual of any “asado.”

Chimichurri
Serves 4-8

½ cup dried parsley
1 tbsp dried oregano
5 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1½ tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp smoked paprika
20ml red wine vinegar
15ml lemon juice
20ml water
350ml canola oil
1 tsp salt

Choripan
8 Argentine chorizos, or soft chorizo sausages,(not to be confused with cured
Spanish chorizo).
1 baguette
300 grams smoked provolone cheese (grated)

To make Chimichurri

1. Simply combine all the ingredients and mix well. It’s best to make it the day before, and it will keep for six weeks in the fridge.

To make Choripan

2. Peel the casings from chorizos and discard them, keeping all the meat.
3. Slice open the baguette and cut into 4. With your fingers, hollow it out making a “canoe” to hold the stuffing. (Keep the scooped-out bread to make croutons or breadcrumbs!)
4. Distribute all the grated provolone along the hollowed-out baguettes, then top with the chorizo meat. Make sure to cover the cheese and distribute the meat to encase it. No cheese should be visible; this will prevent the cheese from leaking when cooking.
5. If cooking on a BBQ, make your fire with some good South American charcoal and distribute embers under the grill. The BBQ is hot enough when you can hold your hand closely over the grill for no more than 5 to 8 seconds without the heat burning you. If using a gas BBQ, heat up with high fire for 10 minutes, then set it to minimum. To cook on a stove, use a cast-iron skillet or a non-stick pan set to medium-high heat.
6. Place the two pieces of stuffed baguette with the chorizo meat facing down, and you should hear a good sizzle. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes (this will depend on whether your bread is taller and thicker or wider and thinner). The chorizo should be fully cooked and golden brown on top.
7. Flip the baguette carefully and cook on the bread side for another 4 to 6 minutes, using the fat that the chorizo meat left to crisp up and toast the bread.
8. Remove from the fire or skillet and allow it to rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
9. Top each piece with a healthy dose of chimichurri and enjoy!