Paella

Tamara West

Here's a pungent, heady combination of rice, chicken and seafood, blended and sharpened with saffron.

Sofrito

2 Tbsp	Olive oil
2 small	Onions
2	Red peppers
3 cloves	Garlic, crushed
1 can	Tomato, peeled and chopped (Main)
2 tsp	Smoked paprika
1 tsp	Salt
1	Lemon, juiced

Meat

1 serving	Olive oil
2	Chorizo sausages (Main)
4	Boneless chicken thighs (Main)
1 ⅓ cups	Rice, calasparra or bomba
1 serving	Stock, prawn, see below
1 pinch	Saffron threads, crushed

Seafood

1 serving	Mixed seafood, as much as can fit in pan, we used calmari, prawns, shrimps, fresh trevally and mussels (Main)
1 serving	Stock, prawn, see below
1 serving	Beans, sliced

Directions

First make a sofrito

1. In a 30cm paella pan or frying pan, heat olive oil and add onions and peppers, both finely chopped, and garlic. The trimmings from these ingredients are used in the stock, (see below).
2. Cook over a medium-low heat until fragrant and very lightly coloured.
3. Add cannmed tomatoes, smoked paprika, and salt. Add the juice of lemon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and thickened to a rich sauce (about 15-20 minutes).
4. Remove the sofrito and gently clean the pan.

To prepare the meat

1. Reheat the pan with a little olive oil, slice chorizo sausages into discs and fry until browned. Remove, retaining the oil in the pan.
2. Cut chicken thighs into thirds and add to the pan. Fry until brown all over then remove.
3. Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary and add rice. Saute the rice for 2 minutes then add 1 cup of the sofrito. Stir to combine and simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Add 1½cups of hot stock (see below) and saffron. Bring to the boil, stiring constantly.
5. Add back the chorizo and taste for seasoning. Add the chicken pieces and simmer for 5-7 minutes. The liquid will reduce as the rice starts to cook.
6. Remove pan from heat.

To prepare the seafood

1. Arrange a medley of seafood, as many as can fit, and beans to the top of the dish, pressing them into the rice.
2. Pour another ½ cup hot stock over the seafood and place the pan at the bottom of a 225C oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender to the bite.
3. At no point should the paella be stirred. Alternatively, cover the pan in foil, return to the stove top and simmer for a similar length of time.
4. Remove pan from heat and rest covered in a tea towel for 5 minutes.
5. Dress with lemon wedges and chopped parsley, and serve directly from the pan.

Simple prawn stock

1. Before you cook your paella make a simple prawn stock by quickly blanching 250g prawns in 4 cups of boiling water.
2. Peel and reserve the prawns, then return the heads and shells to the pot. Add a bay leaf, the trimmings from the garlic, onion, red pepper and parsley and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain.