2008
Crunchy Chorizo Crisps
One of the downsides of eating low carb is that it’s quite difficult to satisfy the occasional longing for something crunchy.
Crisps, tortilla chips and the like are out, cheese crisps are a great option, but my favourite low carb crispy treat has to be Chorizo Crisps.
They have just the right amount of satisfying crunchiness, are quick and easy to make and everyone, not just low carb eaters, seems to enjoy them.
Although I’ve tagged this as a recipe, it’s really too simple to qualify as one. All you have to do is slice up the chorizo, zap it in the microwave and leave it to cool. That’s it!
This plate holds a little less than 6 inches of chorizo sliced up. The whole chorizo, which costs €2.99 in Lidl is a bit more than 24 inches long, so you’ll get more that 4 times this many crisps from one.
They may not be the cheapest snack in the world but when you want something crunchy you really want something crunchy!
They took exactly 2 minutes to cook, on high in an 800W microwave. Your’s may vary - they look sort of dry in the centre when they are done, though are not crisp till they cool.
The crisps are very good scattered over salad, as a garnish for sandwiches or in pretty much any situation where you’d use crispy bacon. Exactly the same thing works perfectly with all kinds of salami, so there are lots of different flavours of crisp to try.
I made these ones for the wine tasting this evening, where we are having tapas, primarily using the various goodies from the current Iberian promotion at Lidl. I’ll be reporting on what people thought of them as well as the wine.
One of the things from that range that I picked up yesterday was salted roasted almonds, which cost €3.99 for 250g. I opened the bag to taste a couple. Big mistake. They are totally addictive and I’ll have to go back later today to get more!
August 14th, 2008 at 11:52 am
A low carb diet seems more targeted towards a sedentary lifestyle/losing weight. Is this the case, or is there enough energy provided for exercise ?
August 14th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Great idea Kate! I regularly pick up the Chorizo sausage in Lidl, will have to give this a go!
August 14th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Gavin: There isn’t really room here to get into the thinking behind eating low carb, but it has no relationship to a sedentary lifestyle and there is no problem with energy at all. It certainly does make a difference with weight control, especially for people (and there are many of them) who have issues with carb metabolism - eg diabetics or those in pre-diabetic states or with what is known as metabolic syndrome.
It has been a very effective and enjoyable way of eating for us for some time now and is a permanent thing, not something we drop in and out of. But everyone is different and it won’t be for everyone.
If you are interested in the general science (and politics!) behind low-carb/low-fat eating, I’d suggest reading “The Diet Delusion” by Gary Taubes. In fact I’d suggest that anyone with an interest in nutrition should at least read that book - it’s illuminating, even if you don’t agree with it all.
August 14th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
mmmmm just back from lunch but I’d love some of these still!! I can almost taste the lovely spicey meatiness!!!!
August 14th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Kate, after your recommendation I bought cashew nuts yesterday in Lidl. Like the almonds, big mistake! Addictive isn’t the word. Normally I’m not too bothered by savoury stuff (chocolate, now that’s a different story altogether!) but I can’t stay away from these.
August 14th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I love your website! Looking forward to hearing the wine reviews. keep up the fantastic work!
August 14th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Oh yum, used to do this with pepperoni in the states, but in the oven. This is even easier! Thanks for the tip!
August 15th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
There is actually some chorizo in the house for once, I’m going to try this. Thank you!
August 18th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Have you ever tasted real chorizo? Fair enough, Lidl has some nice stuff at good prices but their chorizo has no flavour whatsoever. It’s nasty and salty and oh so tough.
August 18th, 2008 at 10:37 am
I’ve tasted lots of chorizo, and while this may not be the top of the range it tastes fine to me and is perfectly ok for everyday use and cooking. At the moment Lidl have another chorizo in stock, as part of the Iberian food thingy, and it is definitely a much superior one, softer and less salty and quite different to their standard one - I’d love your opinion on it.
August 18th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Lidl chorizo tastes wonderful cooked up in a casserole of red peppers, onions, tomatoes and butter beans.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Just wondering what sort of plate you microwave the chorizo on? I cracked two plates cooking my chorizo - then I tried it on a plastic dish and I melted it after a minute! They must get very very hot while cooking. I love the results but I will be out of plates in a week at this rate.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Yikes! I just do them directly on the glass turntable in my microwave, so I suppose glass it the thing. They would get extremely hot alright.
November 21st, 2008 at 11:56 am
The only problem with these crisps is that they are really really bad for you. Compare the calorie/saturated fat content with other crisps. Cashew nuts in lidl also have loads of salt - hard to get a healthy option. I agree with another poster that the chorizo is not good quality. Very peppery and not much flavour. Their sliced chorizo is much better but also leaves a bit of a peppery after taste.
October 11th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Low Carb Diet helped me to tone down my body fats. now i am very lean and skinny.