Paella

I often think that folk are scared to make paella. It can seem a daunting task, and one that’s difficult to get right. It isn’t! A good paella is easy, and wonderfully tasty. There’s three things you must however do to get it right 1. Use paella or arborio rice 2. Use saffron NEVER turmeric 3. Always use a flat paella pan and NEVER a wok. Stick to these rules and you will master paella in one single go!

Wot u need
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets, diced
1 med onion, chopped
1 sliced smoke sausage (Mattesons for me)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, chopped into thin slices
1 pinch saffron
350g (12 oz) uncooked paella rice
1.25 litres (2 pints) chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
75g (3 oz) frozen garden peas
12 prawns
generous handful chopped parsley
8 wedges lemon to garnish

Wot u do
Add oil in pan. Seal chicken and sausage. Add garlic pepper and onion. Cook on medium for three mins. Add saffron and rice – saffron sold in jars of 0.4g. Each jar makes three pans . Stir. Add 1/2 stock and season. Bring to boil and simmer for 7 mins. Stir once during cooking. Stir and add remaining stock. Cool for 8 more mins all uncovered. If rice is hard add 3 tbsp boiling water and simmer until cooked covered with foil – 4 more mins at simmer. Add peas and prawns stir and cook for 2 mins. Take off heat cover with foil and eat in 5 mins adding lemon wedges. Add parsley before serving.

Serves 2 with enough for lunch for one.

TOP TIP: I make this at the caravan on an outside stove – cover the paella pan with kitchen foil if you don’t have a lid.

Madly simple paella!

 

This dish is the easiest thing you will ever make and it has the full taste of a great paella. A brilliant family meal or a great meal for two at the weekend with a glass of vino 🙂

Wot u need
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil;
1 medium onion thinly sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
200g (7oz) long-grain or basmati rice (not quick cook!)
1 teaspoon each paprika and turmeric and 1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)
900ml vegetable stock (use two stock cubes)
200g small prawns
100g frozen peas
1 cooked chicken breast (I use Tesco)
Pepper (no salt there’s enough in the stock cubes)

Wot u do
Heat the oil in a pan or wok and sweat off the onions till they are soft but not burned – 3 mins or so. Add the red pepper and crushed garlic and toss in the onions for around 30 seconds – no more. Add the rice (unwashed) and spices to the mix and stir for 30 seconds. Add the stock, cover and cook at a simmer for 12 mins. I use a cartouche made of greaseproof paper – but a lid is fine. After that time add the prawns, peas and chopped chicken. Cook uncovered for a few minutes (probably around 5) until most of the liquid has evaporated. Watch out – some rice can have a bite, continue to cook until rice soft. Season.

SERVES: 2

TOP TIP: The chilli gives a slight heat to the back of the throat which I like. If the rice dries during cooking add a little more water.