When I was younger, I never really liked leftovers (sorry mom). Maybe I was indoctrinated into the “made to order” mentality from fast food restaurants– or maybe I was just spoiled. Nowadays, I recognize that leftovers–especially when you’re the one that put in the original effort to make them–are life. Still, it’s a good mental exercise to repurpose leftovers into something totally new, and who knows, you may even create something greater than the sum of its parts.

This all started when I wanted to make chorizo “balls” for a sandwich. I mixed ground chorizo, almonds, egg, parsley, bell peppers, garlic and spices, then seared them. They were delicious, but I definitely made too many, and my little kid aversion to leftovers started kicking in again. Time to re-invent the meal…get it?

I had everything I needed to make a simple stew, and figured I could use the meatballs to add some complexity. It managed to make the chorizo taste even better as leftovers, and even though I haven’t remade it recently, I’d definitely call it one of my “greatest hits”. I’d bet my ten-year-old self wouldn’t even be able to recognize it as “last night’s dinner.”

One final reminder that the 50th post will go live next week! Make sure you follow @craving_mad, then tag your friends on your favorite post with #cravingmad50 for your chance to win! I’ll be announcing the winner with next week’s post. Until then though…

Let’s cook.

You’ll need:

2 lb Ground Chorizo

1 Egg, beaten

2 Cups Almonds, crushed

4 Roma Tomatoes, diced

6 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1 Onion, diced

1/2 Cup Parsley, chopped

4 Cups Chickpeas

1 Dried Ancho Chili, sliced thinly

2 Limes

4 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Bell Peppers, diced

2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tbs Cumin

2 Tbs Coriander

3 Tbs Paprika

1 Tbs Chili Flakes

2 Bay Leaves

1 Cinnamon Stick

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1. Combine chorizo, egg, almonds, half of the spices, half of the garlic, half of the herbs, and balsamic vinegar. Mix well, form into small balls, then cover, and chill in the refrigerator for thirty minutes. Sear on med-high heat until firm.

2. Remove from the pan, discard half of the rendered fat, then sautee onions, remaining garlic, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, spices and dried chili. Stir until tomatoes soften, and form a sauce.

3. Add stock, and stir well. Bring the stew to a low boil, then add chickpeas, meatballs, and parsley.

4. Taste for seasoning, add lime juice, and chopped parsley, then plate, and serve.

Done.