Paella

Paella is one of my all time favourite dinners. Any one coming to Spain with me? If only! It evokes so many happy memories of Spanish holidays sitting by the sea having bread, olives and rosé. This recipe will bring back all the holiday feels.

This version is fairly quick for a paella recipe – some authentic Spanish versions can take all day to cook. It tastes wonderful and can be done in a fraction of the time.

I love chicken, chorizo, king prawn and seafood paella but you can do either or.

Serves 4

Ingredients

300g arborio rice

2 chicken breasts

Half a chorizo – sliced

Cup full of frozen peas

Pinch of saffron

650ml vegetable stock

1 onion – diced

4 large garlic cloves

Large grind of salt and cracked black pepper

Cup full of green beans

10 – 12 crevettes or king prawns in their shells

300g bag of seafood mix (mussles, small prawns, squid)

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

200ml white wine

A few cherry tomatoes

Parsley and lemon wedges to serve

Few glugs of olive oil

Method

Start by cooking your chorizo in a large pan with a large glug of olive oil. When it is cooked through which only takes about 3-4 minutes, set it aside leaving the oil in the pan.

Now add your chicken strips and pan fry until almost cooked through.

Add another glug of olive oil to the hot pan along with your diced onion and cook the onions until they are soft and translucent. Add your garlic, paprika and green beans. I like to chop the green beans in half.

Now add your rice, coating it in all of the oil for about a minute, stirring all the while.

Pour in your stock, white wine and your pinch of saffron.

Cover and cook on a medium heat on the hob for approx 15 minutes.

For the last 5 minutes of cooking time add your king prawns, seafood, tomatoes, the chorizo you set aside and your frozen peas. Season with your salt and cracked black pepper.

When it ‘s all cooked through and delicious spoon onto your plates and add lots of fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Pour yourself a large glass of rosé maybe add a fresh green salad, some olives and some crusty bread and enjoy one of the best dinners ever!