Chorizo, Tomato and Avocado Salad

I've always been of the opinion that a salad is a side dish rather than a main course and perhaps still am, but this salad tastes so good that i eat two huge bowls of it everytime i make it and am left fully satisfied however hungry i was before i started!

The dish combines some of my absolute favourites, chorizo and avocado, and the balsamic vinegar brings all the flavours together beautifully. It only takes a short time to throw together and is best served warm.
 

The below should serve 4 but Rach and I finish it off in one sitting....   

Ingredients -

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

Garlic Clove, crushed

Pinch Dried Oregano

1 Small Ciabatta, torn into small pieces

150g Chorizo, halved lengthways and sliced

250g pack of good quality Cherry Tomatoes

2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Pinch of Dark Sugar

2 or 3 ripe Avocados, stoned and sliced

Approx 150g Salad Leaves, eg. rocket/spinach/baby leaf and herb

• Heat half of the oil in a large pan with the garlic and oregano, add the ciabatta and fry for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until crisp and browned, tip them into a large salad bowl
• Give the pan a quick wipe and add the chorizo until it realeases it's oils and starts to crisp up, approx 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and toss to mix, cook for a short while until they start to soften.
• Drizzle over the vinegar, add the sugar and some freshly ground black pepper
• In the salad bowl, add the salad leaves and sliced avocado and gently mix with the remaining olive oil and croutons. Spoon over the chorizo and tomatoes and drizzle with the juice from the pan