Blood sausage with pipis, romesco & padrón peppers

For maximum flavour in this simple tapas dish, it’s important to use good-quality blood sausages. You can buy these from good butchers. If you aren’t able to get fresh padrón peppers, use tinned Spanish piquillo peppers instead.

Serves 6

100 ml (3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

2 blood sausages

140 g (5 oz) padrón peppers

½ bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, leaves only

200 g (7 oz) pipis or small cockles

200 g (7 oz) clams (vongole)

splash of sherry vinegar

¼ bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves only

juice of 1 lemon

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) Romesco sauce (here) at room temperature

crusty bread, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cut the sausages into fifths and add to the pan when the oil is hot. Cook for 30 seconds on each side. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel.

Add the peppers to the pan and cook for 1 minute, then add the parsley and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring.

Now add the pipis, clams and vinegar. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes, until the pipis just start to open.

Remove from the heat and add the blood sausage back in, along with the coriander and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with dollops of the romesco sauce on top, and crusty bread on the side.