Serves 4-5
10-12 saffron threads or 1 tsp yellow food colouring
6-8 tablespoons olive oil
1 rabbit or 1 small free-range or corn-fed chicken, weighing 1-1.1 kg, jointed into 16 pieces
4 garlic cloves, sliced
125g (4oz) chorizo or paprika sausage, chunked
1 red and 1 green pepper, de-seeded and cut into strips
1-2 medium-sized squid, weighing 500g (1lb) in total, cleaned and sliced into rings
500g (1lb) italian or risotto rice
500g (1lb) tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
about 900ml (1.5 pints) cold water or chicken stock
125g shelled peas
12 freshwater crayfish or large prawns, preferably raw
12 cooked snails or fresh raw mussels or a handful of clams in the shell
salt
If using saffron, leave it to soak in a splash of boiling water for 15 minutes, then squash it down to release the flavour (I put mine in the blender). Lay out all the ingredients within easy reach: timing is of the essence.
Heat a wide, shallow iron frying pan or flat-bottomed wok, or a paella pan with a top diameter of 43 cm (17 inches). Pour in the oil.
When it is hot, put in the rabbit or chicken pieces, turning and frying them on all sides.
Add the garlic, chorizo and peppers and fry for a few minutes, until lightly caramelised. Stir in the squid rings and then the rice. Turn the rice in the oil until all the grains are coated and transparent. Throw in the tomatoes and paprika and pour on the saffron liquid or colouring and as much water or stock as will cover the layer of rice to a depth of 2.5 cm (1 inch). If using a paella pan, the liquid should come up to the base of the handle. Bring to the boil, bubble fiercely for 5 minutes and then turn the heat down. Cook gently for 10 minutes. Unless cooking over a fire, keep the rice moving as it cooks.
Stir in the peas and lay on the crayfish or prawns if they are raw. Simmer for 5 minutes and then lay the shellfish on the top to open in the steam, with the crayfish or prawns if they are ready-cooked. Cook for 5 more minutes and then season to taste with salt.
Remove the paella from the heat; it should still be moist. Let it rest, covered with a clean cloth, for 10 minutes to allow the rice to finish swelling and the grains to separate. The rice should be moist and succulent.
The traditional way to eat paella is out of hte communal cooking pan itself. Put an inverted plate in the middle and balance a dish of salad on top (cos lettuce, tomatoes and onions, salted and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. Everyone eats the section nearest to them; the rice under the plate keeps hot for second helpings. Serve with plenty of fresh bread.
Leftover paella makes excellent little croquettes: bind with egg, shape into little cylinders, roll in flour, coat with egg and breadcrumbs and deep fry. Lovely with a fresh tomato sauce, made with garlic, onion and chili.
10-12 saffron threads or 1 tsp yellow food colouring
6-8 tablespoons olive oil
1 rabbit or 1 small free-range or corn-fed chicken, weighing 1-1.1 kg, jointed into 16 pieces
4 garlic cloves, sliced
125g (4oz) chorizo or paprika sausage, chunked
1 red and 1 green pepper, de-seeded and cut into strips
1-2 medium-sized squid, weighing 500g (1lb) in total, cleaned and sliced into rings
500g (1lb) italian or risotto rice
500g (1lb) tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
about 900ml (1.5 pints) cold water or chicken stock
125g shelled peas
12 freshwater crayfish or large prawns, preferably raw
12 cooked snails or fresh raw mussels or a handful of clams in the shell
salt
If using saffron, leave it to soak in a splash of boiling water for 15 minutes, then squash it down to release the flavour (I put mine in the blender). Lay out all the ingredients within easy reach: timing is of the essence.
Heat a wide, shallow iron frying pan or flat-bottomed wok, or a paella pan with a top diameter of 43 cm (17 inches). Pour in the oil.
When it is hot, put in the rabbit or chicken pieces, turning and frying them on all sides.
Add the garlic, chorizo and peppers and fry for a few minutes, until lightly caramelised. Stir in the squid rings and then the rice. Turn the rice in the oil until all the grains are coated and transparent. Throw in the tomatoes and paprika and pour on the saffron liquid or colouring and as much water or stock as will cover the layer of rice to a depth of 2.5 cm (1 inch). If using a paella pan, the liquid should come up to the base of the handle. Bring to the boil, bubble fiercely for 5 minutes and then turn the heat down. Cook gently for 10 minutes. Unless cooking over a fire, keep the rice moving as it cooks.
Stir in the peas and lay on the crayfish or prawns if they are raw. Simmer for 5 minutes and then lay the shellfish on the top to open in the steam, with the crayfish or prawns if they are ready-cooked. Cook for 5 more minutes and then season to taste with salt.
Remove the paella from the heat; it should still be moist. Let it rest, covered with a clean cloth, for 10 minutes to allow the rice to finish swelling and the grains to separate. The rice should be moist and succulent.
The traditional way to eat paella is out of hte communal cooking pan itself. Put an inverted plate in the middle and balance a dish of salad on top (cos lettuce, tomatoes and onions, salted and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. Everyone eats the section nearest to them; the rice under the plate keeps hot for second helpings. Serve with plenty of fresh bread.
Leftover paella makes excellent little croquettes: bind with egg, shape into little cylinders, roll in flour, coat with egg and breadcrumbs and deep fry. Lovely with a fresh tomato sauce, made with garlic, onion and chili.