We're Paella Fellas

This is my simple version of the classic Spanish peasant dish, Paella. It is easiest to prepare like you would a stir-fry – get everything chopped and ready. It makes for easy entertaining as it feeds a lot of people and is a gorgeous centrepiece placed straight on the table for your guests to dive in.

Check your local deli for Calaspara rice. I buy mine from Black Pearl Epicure, Baxter St, Fortitude Valley. They also have good quality quality saffron. 

Although you could use a large, shallow frying pan, paella pans from kitchen and homeware stores are inexpensive. Once you make this your friends will ask you to make this every time you’re entertaining. Gone are boring BBQs! 

Simple Paella

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 chorizo sausage, sliced into rounds

8 king prawns, shell on

3 tomatoes, chopped splashed with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

1 cup calaspara rice (no other rice will do)

a decent pinch saffron

750mls vege stock (use a 1lt pack, you might need extra)

12 mussels, de-bearded

1 can cannellini beans, strained and rinsed

1/3 cup frozen peas

1 tsp paprika

a few cherry tomatoes

chopped parsley to serve

1.    Heat vege stock with saffron in a saucepan.

2.    Heat a splosh of olive oil in paella pan. Add chorizo and sauté for 1 minute before adding prawns and garlic.  Sauté a further minute then add tomatoes and paprika.

3.    Sprinkle in rice and pour over hot stock . Shake the pan – NEVER STIR A PAELLA, only shake the pan. If you stir, you will end up with a risotto – we’re in Spain for this recipe, not Italy.

4.    Cover with alfoil and allow to simmer for 10 mins, while you enjoy the company of your guests, effortlessly shaking the pan periodically and adding a little extra stock if it’s getting too dry.

5.    Add peas, cannellini beans, muscles and cherry tomatoes. Return alfoil and simmer for 5 mins.

6.    Take off heat, sprinkle over parsley.

7.    You made Paella! Enjoy with a green salad and a crusty loaf.

Variations – all of these I have tried and work beautifully:

·       Add 2 diced organic chicken thighs (at step 2).

·       Add fresh crab meat (at step 5)

·       Add chopped red chilli (at step 2)

·       Add handful black olives (at step 5)