I must admit I was a little bit daunted by the thought of cooking paella and although I was never going to be able to make it like a paella pro it turned out quite well for our tastes. I would therefore use this method again although next time I would make sure that in true paella style it would be a little drier and also that I would have the right utensils (for example a proper paella pan instead of a scrawny looking frying pan trying to pass for one). My result may even be classed more as a risotto, but call it what you like, it was a delight to eat with its bright colours and succulent surprises hidden throughout under the wonderfully flavoured rice in the form of brilliantly cooked prawns and peppers. This is definitely a great thing to place in the centre of the table for family & friends to tuck in to - looks wise and taste wise...Also, my 'Marisco' (Seafood) Paella ended up a 'Gambas' (Prawn) Paella as I never had time to stop off at the shops to buy the rest of the seafood earlier that day, but to make a proper seafood paella where I added the prawns you would also add the rest of the seafood - mussles, langoustine, squid etc.
The Recipe (Serves 4)
The Ingredients
300g of Spanish paella rice
1 large onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
Half a tin of chopped tomatoes
16fl Oz (3/4 pnt) of chicken stock
3 handfuls of frozen peas
Saffron
Cooked Prawns (Mussels, Squid, Langoustine would also be great!)
Thyme & Parsely
1 Bay Leaf
1 lemon
The Method
On a high heat in a paella a pan (or less desirably in a frying pan like myself) heat about a tbsp of olive oil with a pinch of salt.
Add to the pan the chopped onions and bell peppers to cook for roughly 10 minutes until softened.
Next, stir in the paella rice and slop in the chopped tomatoes. You want to get the rice all coated in the mixture.
Keep the dish moving to stop it from sticking to the pan and burning and begin to gradually pour in the chicken stock little by little until fully absorbed by the rice and remember the paella should be cooked until slightly dry.
300g of Spanish paella rice
1 large onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
Half a tin of chopped tomatoes
16fl Oz (3/4 pnt) of chicken stock
3 handfuls of frozen peas
Saffron
Cooked Prawns (Mussels, Squid, Langoustine would also be great!)
Thyme & Parsely
1 Bay Leaf
1 lemon
The Method
On a high heat in a paella a pan (or less desirably in a frying pan like myself) heat about a tbsp of olive oil with a pinch of salt.
Add to the pan the chopped onions and bell peppers to cook for roughly 10 minutes until softened.
Next, stir in the paella rice and slop in the chopped tomatoes. You want to get the rice all coated in the mixture.
Keep the dish moving to stop it from sticking to the pan and burning and begin to gradually pour in the chicken stock little by little until fully absorbed by the rice and remember the paella should be cooked until slightly dry.
Just before finishing add the frozen peas, herbs, bay leaf, saffron and prawns (+other seafood) and cook for the last few minutes stirring in those final ingredients.
Finally cut the lemon in half and squeeze one half into the paella, stir, then use the other half of the lemon to decorate along with a garnish of thyme or parsley on top and a few prawns to finish.
Finally cut the lemon in half and squeeze one half into the paella, stir, then use the other half of the lemon to decorate along with a garnish of thyme or parsley on top and a few prawns to finish.
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