Paella
In Spain, one can buy a gas ring specially for cooking paella for a picnic, how wonderful would that be? This is just one of the myriads of paella recipes – great for a party.
SERVES
10
PEOPLE
COOKING TIME
40
MINUTES
Ingredients
6 tbsp approximately of extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 large green pepper, cut into 1cm cubes
1 large red pepper, cut into 1cm cubes
8 cloves garlic, sliced
1 free-range organic chicken, jointed and cut into smallish pieces
225g organic streaky pork, cut into cubes
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp saffron
1kg paella rice (calasparra or acquerello) approximately (generous ½ cup per person)
1.8 – 2.4 litres homemade chicken stock (use more if needed)
1 chorizo sausage, sliced
450g frozen peas
450g mussels in shells
12 prawns in shells
To garnish
4 very ripe tomatoes
flat parsley sprigs and coarsely chopped chives
paella pan, 46cm approximately
Method
Put lots of olive oil in the paella pan. Add the pork and cook for a few minutes until the fat begins to run.
Add the garlic, onions and peppers. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the chicken. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Then add the sliced chorizo.
Sauté for 15 minutes, soak a teaspoon of saffron in a cup of warm chicken stock and stir around.
Add to the pan. Add the rice. Add stock to almost cover, stir to blend and then don’t stir again unless absolutely necessary. Add the peas.
Bring to the boil and simmer really gently for about 20 minutes until the meat is cooked.
About 5 minutes from the end of cooking, add the mussels and the prawns in their shells. Continue to cook until the mussels open and the prawns are cooked.
Stand over it and move the ingredients around a little.
Bring the paella pan to the table. Scatter with lots of flat parsley sprigs and some freshly chopped tomato and chives.
Serve immediately directly from the pan. The crispy rice bits on the bottom of the pan are the best!
