Morcilla

Morcilla is a blood sausage, usually made with pig’s blood and fat, seasoned with salt and spices. Depending on the regional style, it may also contain rice, onion or other ingredients.

Keep the casing on and cook slices gently in a lightly oiled pan for about 3–4 minutes per side, until browned and hot through. Avoid piercing it or turning it repeatedly; the casing helps hold the filling together.

Treat morcilla as a sausage that needs cooking unless the packaging clearly says it is ready to eat. Cook it until steaming hot throughout; thick pieces may need longer than thin slices.

Keep fresh morcilla refrigerated and use it by the date on the pack. Once cooked, cool it promptly, refrigerate in a covered container and eat within a few days; freeze it if you need to keep it longer.

Its savoury richness works well with fried eggs, roast or fried potatoes, lentils and beans. In Spanish cooking, morcilla is often served as tapas or added to hearty stews.

They are both blood sausages, but their seasoning and ingredients differ by tradition. British black pudding commonly includes oatmeal or barley, while Spanish morcilla often contains rice or onion; black pudding has 149 kcal per 100 g, compared with 323 kcal in morcilla.

Blood sausage is the broad name for sausages made with blood; morcilla is one type, associated especially with Spanish-speaking cuisines. Blood sausage has 379 kcal and 14.6 g protein per 100 g, compared with 323 kcal and 11 g protein in morcilla.