Who doesn´t love a tasty paella? Currently living in Spain, it was pretty easy to find a good supplier of “paelleras” (paella pans). Pairing the right-sized pan with a good “paellero” (twin-ringed gas burner) helps to ensure the ingredients are cooked evenly, resulting in perfectly moist, deliciously-flavoured paella.
Serves 3-4 (as a main course, or 6-8 as tapas)
Ingredients
- 100 ml white wine
- 450 g mussels, cleaned and de-bearded (you can substitute clams)
- 1 large skinless chicken breast, sliced into large pieces
- 200 g pork, cubed
- 6 large uncooked frozen prawns/langoustines
- 100 g fresh, green/runner beans, sliced
- 2 red onions, halved then sliced thinly
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
- 2 large, ripe on-vine tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and chopped
- handful fresh parsley/cilantro, chopped
- 600 ml chicken stock
- 2 pinches saffron threads, soaked in 50 ml hot water
- 75 g frozen baby broad (“fava”) beans, thawed
- 100 g frozen, mixed sliced peppers, thawed
- handful of frozen peas, thawed
- 300 g paella rice
- 150 g best (“Ibérico de Bellota“) chorizo, sliced thickly
- 6 – 10 anchovy-stuffed green olives, sliced in half
Method
- Heat the wine in a casserole dish then add the mussels/clams. Cover and steam until the shells open, then discard any that haven´t opened. Remove the shells with a slotted spoon and place them to one side. Empty the remaining wine into a small container.
- Season the chicken and pork with paprika and salt and sear on all sides on a plancha or hob. Briefly fry the prawns on both sides.
- Boil the green/runner beans briefly until they soften, then drain and place them to one side.
- Pour a glug of olive oil into the pan and fry the onions and garlic until golden brown.
- Add the tomatoes and parsley and stir well.
- Add the chicken stock, remaining mussel liquid, saffron & liquid, beans, peppers and peas. Season and stir well.
- Turn up the temperature, and when the liquid starts to bubble, add the rice and stir. Distribute the chicken, pork, shellfish, chorizo and olives around the pan.
- Lower the temperature until the mix is barely simmering.
- Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, until the rice is ready.
- Serve.
If you like this recipe, why not try our delicious rice-based dish from Japan, Omurice (Japanese Rice Omelette) ?
