Smoky Chorizo & Haloumi soup

6 fresh uncooked chorizo

sausages

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 leek, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

6 cloves garlic, peeled

3 tsp ground cumin

3 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp chilli powder

6-8 cups reduced-salt chicken or vegetable stock

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes in juice

1 x 400g can cannellini beans, drained

3 medium-sized potatoes or kumara (or a mixture), peeled and chopped ½ cup tomato paste 1 bunch chopped fresh coriander or parsley (or both), plus extra for serving salt and freshly cracked black pepper

200g haloumi, sliced sour cream or crème fraîche to serve (optional)

1. Cut through the casings on the chorizo and peel off. Crumble up the meat. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large stockpot over a medium-high heat. Add the chorizo meat, break up with a wooden spoon and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the lovely aromatic oil has been released from the meat.

2. Scoop the meat out of the pot with a slotted spoon and add the onion, leek, celery, carrot, garlic, cumin, paprika and chilli to the remaining oil. Cook, stirring over a medium heat, for another 10 minutes or until soft.

3. Add the stock, tomatoes, beans, potatoes or kumara and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the kumara is tender. Using a stick blender, purée the mixture until smooth. Add the chorizo back to the soup (save a little for garnish at the end if you like) and simmer until heated through. Stir through the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Add a splash of oil and fry the haloumi until golden and crunchy on one side, then carefully turn over to brown the other side (if you try to turn it before a crust has formed, it may stick).

5. Serve the soup in bowls with the haloumi, fresh herbs and some toasted bread. Add a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche if you like, and garnish with extra herbs.