Mi Paella

Are you ready...
Ah, Paella! Only the Spanish are able to have a dish so full of colour and expression!
Remember; just like stir fry, prepare everything before hand - especially because there are so many ingredients, you are bound to forget something! (In these photos I forgot the peas, and I ran out of saffron - sad face)

Ingredients:
1 onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 kg calasparra rice (or Arborio if you're at woolies)
3 truss tomatoes, cut into chunks
handful of chicken tenderloin
handful of scallops
handful of prawns
baby squid
2 whole chorizos, cut into 1cm rounds
1/2 kg mussels
handful of frozen peas, or blanched green beans
kitchen spoonful of smoked paprika
3 pinch saffron
300mL chix stock
salt, jap chilli flakes, 1/2 bunch parsley (finely chopped)
*for a 24cm paella pan (serves 4) - alternatively, use 2 saute pans

First, using olive oil: sear the chicken, scallops and prawns - then keep aside in a mixing bowl. Don't forget to season the food!

Then, cover the base with more oil and start to sweat off the onions, garlic and chorizo (flavours the oil). Season with a pinch of salt.

Once the aromats start to caramelise, it's time to add in the rice; stir it around to coat it in the lovely flavoured oil.

Meanwhile mix the meats and seafood mixing bowl with the paprika;


Then add the tomatoes with the rice, letting it cook down just a little, then in with the stock.

Also, in with the meats and seafood (And all the paprika'd resting juices) spread evenly. The peas and saffron should go in now, too.

And also the Mussels - the juices these guys release? oohhh baby.

Let those mussels open up, and the liquid reduce down; have a taste once there's not much liquid left - rice still crunchy? add a bit more water. Smell burning? Turn it off!

Once all the liquid is nearly evapourated and the rice is al dente (not soggy), take it off the stove and wrap it in foil - letting it rest for at least 15 minutes!

Voila! Smell that! Hope you got that crusty (but not burnt) bottom! Top it off with chilli flakes and parsley flakes (Was too pov to pay for parsley this time)

Optional: serve with a side of scotch fillet.

Hosting a Paella Party

You bought that big paella pan. Now what? Have a party around it!

The number one lesson in cooking paella? Patience. Same with steak; searing and resting are the most important parts. Make sure you sear the meats to a nice caramel before taking them off, and returning them to the pan during the braising stage. Rest that Paella for at least FIFTEEN minutes; covered in foil to keep the heat in.

Cooking time (including resting) will end up to about 40 minutes! So what can your guests eat until then?

Salad of baby cos, radicchio, parmesean and free range bacon

How about sautee'ing a handful of king prawns with lots of garlic (about 8 cloves), smoked paprika (a tablespoon), chilli flakes (a pinch), flamed off with a shot of cognac and finished with a squeeze of lemon juice - you don't even need a picture to make you drool over that image!

Before you start your Paella, grill off some chorizo with some olive oil and finished with lemon juice - serve with tomato sauce; that and a loaf of bread is enough to stop worrying about your guests complaining about being hungry.

The secret to Paella Prep? Do it the night before! (especially if it's for lunch the next day) Cleaning and scoring that squid, chopping up the onions, capsicums, cleaning the mussels, splitting the beans, cutting chorizo - there's a crazy amount of chopping to do, and unless you're a pro - it'll take you forever! Do it up to 24 hours before, and you'll be cruising.

Speaking of day before, Sangria!

My sugar syrup recipe: 200ml water:200ml caster sugar, 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick

Sangria: Cut up strawberries, blueberries, kiwi fruit and apples - top off with a bottle of wine, some tequila, brandy and rum to taste. Add spiced sugar syrup to taste as well - leave to soak overnight. To serve, balance with schwepps lemonade to desired alcoholic strength.

Stay tuned for an in-depth paella recipe!