Summer stew? If it sounds a bit dubious, think tagine and paella. Time to explore and embrace the warm-weather one-pot. Here’s how.

Regular readers will know I’m a big salad fan. Not the old-school iceberg and tasteless tomato kind but chuck in enough interesting ingredients and you can’t beat them when it comes to diet-friendly dinners.

But even I can’t eat salad twice a day, every day. Especially when I’m craving a spot of warmth in the drizzle of a Great British Summer.

So I turned to the idea of a summer stew. It might seem a bit odd but when you think about dishes like tagine and paella, a warm weather one-pot meal starts to make sense.

Chorizo was the starting point. These days, that distinctive smoked paprika flavour is a year-round favourite for us Brits but there’s still a hint of warm, hazy days about it.

And although chorizo can be pretty hefty on the calories, it’s such a flavour bomb that a little goes a long way. That means it’s great for livening up all kinds of other dishes.

This chorizo and bean stew is a quick and easy store cupboard solution too. I always keep tins of red kidney beans, chick peas and cannellini beans on hand, tossing them into stews or salads for a low fat, cholesterol-free boost that’s full of protein (and cheap).

Use whatever beans you have to hand, make a sauce using tinned tomatoes and all you need are a few fresh herbs snipped over the top.

If you’re serving it for dinner, dare I suggest a side salad?

Chorizo and bean stew

222 cals

This recipe takes less than ten minutes to cook and is wonderfully filling. For the mixed beans, I prefer to use the kind that come vacuum-packed and ready to eat although tinned beans work just as well; just rinse and drain well before using.

SERVES 1 •  Ready in 10 mins

20g chorizo, finely chopped
150g ready-to-eat mixed beans (drained weight)
1 tbsp tomato purée
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Few drops Worcestershire sauce
50-75ml water
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

• Place a small frying pan over a high heat until hot. Add the chopped chorizo and fry until turning brown on all sides, about 1–2 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low and then add in the beans, tomato purée, chilli flakes, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and water. Stir well to combine. Allow the stew to start bubbling gently and then cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley.