I took a long detour while backpacking around Europe and it was just to go to Valencia in Spain, the birth place of paella.
Un-Spanish Paella
About Rachel
Ys social influencer and roving reporter, avid foodie and devotee of the grape.
To me, a glass of white wine, a seafood paella and alfresco dining in the winding streets of Spain is heaven on Earth.
Since then, I go straight to this recipe if I’m ever cooking for a larger group of friends or family.
This recipe serves eight, but if you’re only cooking for a few, just halve it and have the rest for leftovers.
I make mine with chicken and chorizo, apparently a big no-no in Spain, but I find it’s much more low-maintenance to cook than seafood!
Do you have a tried-and-true favourite family recipe that you'd love to share with us? You can submit it here.
Un-Spanish paella recipe
Ingredients:
800g chicken thigh, cubed
1 chorizo sausage, cubed (Or try Grandvewe’s organic, smoked mutton sausage)
800g paella rice (short-grain)
250 green beans
1 large tin of chopped tomatoes
2 litres of boiling chicken stock
Pinch of saffron (try McKenzie's hand-picked saffron)
1 tsp of paprika
1 red capsicum, sliced and roasted
1 brown onion, chopped finely
Olive oil
Salt to season
2 sprigs of rosemary to serve
Lemon wedges to serve
Here's how:
Add the saffron to the boiled chicken stock and let steep for about 15 minutes.
In a paella pan, cook the chicken and chorizo in some oil and season with salt. Once cooked, remove from pan and put aside to add later.
In the same pan, cook the onions slowly until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook together on medium heat until a dark red paste is formed.
Add the meat back into the pan, as well as the paprika and roast capsicum, and mix with tomato paste for a few minutes.
Pour the stock into the mixture and stir well to deglaze the pan. Taste and season with salt accordingly. Add the beans and bring to the boil for a couple of minutes.
Pour the rice into the pan and stir briefly to mix through ingredients.Make sure all the rice is submerged under the mixture.
From this point on, do not stir the rice. This will form that crusty layer at the bottom of the pan. Leave to cook for another 10 minutes. Lower the heat slightly and leave for another 10 minutes or until the rice begins to appear above the surface. Cover with foil and check every 5-10 minutes until the rice is cooked.
Remove from stove and garnish with rosemary sprigs and lemon wedges.
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