It's all about the Paella

Imagine you are soaking up the sun on a Spanish beach, blue skies above, Sangria in one hand and a maraca in the other (I don't know why you'd be holding a maraca on the beach, but hey, it's all I could think of at this moment in time!) Anyway, back to the scene, the sun is replenishing you with a generous dose of vitamin D, soft waves lapping at your feet...and then the waiter brings out your order...of Paella!

Okay, maybe the story was a bit far fetched, but it hasn't stopped me attempting a Paella recipe this evening! And it was SO good that I thought I would share with you good folk. I looked up a few different recipes online, took bits and pieces from them all and then added my own spin. So here goes...

Ingredients

Serves 4 people

(Sorry I couldn't figure out how to rotate the photo)

* 300grams of Paella rice
* 1 Litre of hot beef/chicken or vegetable stock
* 2 chicken breasts (cut into large chunks)
* Chorizo (As much as you like, cut into thin circular slices)
* A handful of prawns (Marinate in the white wine and the vinegar for a minutes)
* 1 Green pepper (Sliced)
* 1 Red pepper (Sliced)
* 2 large tomatoes (cut into small chunks)
* 2 small onions (sliced)
* 4 garlic gloves (crushed)
* Vinegar
* A few glugs of white wine
* Half a tea spoon on cayenne pepper
* 1 Table spoon of paprika
* 1 lime (sliced into four segments)
* flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
* Knob of butter


So, begin with slicing, crushing, peeling etc all your veg and meat.

Put the sliced chorizo into a pan and lightly dry fry for a couple of minutes until its natural oils start to come out. Once done, put the Chorizo aside.

Now put the sliced onion into the pan and the oil the Chorizo left behind. Fry for about 4-5 minutes. Then add the cayenne pepper and paprika, stir well and fry for a further 1 minute. Now add the chicken and fry further for 5 minutes or so. Put the onion and chicken aside.

Add the prawns, along with the white wine and vinegar marinade, along with the crushed garlic. Fry for a couple of minutes of a high heat. Then move them aside.

Put the butter into the pan, melt down and then add the 300grams of Paella rice. Cover with the 1 litre of stock and cook on a medium temperature for 10 minutes.

Now add the chicken, the chorizo, the onions, and also the peppers back into the pain, give a good stir and cook for a few minutes more. Add the prawns on the top (along with any of the wine marinade if left over), and the chopped parsley and the sliced lime.
                               
And voila! Simples! And I have to say it was amazing! Give it a try! I could just about taste the sangria and hear the maracas :-D Certainly brightened up my wet and dull English Saturday.

'Til next time!

Sam :-)