picture © www.stockmann.fi

Paella is a traditional Spanish rise based dish and the word paella refers to the cooking dish which is a large, flat, round and shallow metal vessel with two or more handles. Paella originates from the area of Valencia. The three essential ingredients of Paella are rice, saffron and olive oil. Other ingredients which can be included the rice and cooked in with the rice and stock were traditionally chicken, snails, green beans or peas, or frogs, eels and vegetables. The dish has become considerably varied as it has spread throughout the Spain. Added ingredients are often today may include some of the following chicken, rabbit, duck, lobster, mussels, prawns, squid, chorizo, red peppers, peas or green beans. Paella may be cooked in the open air and is traditionally always served in the cooking dish.

Quick Paella

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: approximately 40 minutes
Serves: 4-6 person

Ingredients:

375 g paella rice
25 g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion- diced
1 red pepper- deseeded and diced
Saffron -a few stands
Turmeric-pinch
1-2 cloves of garlic – crushed
900 ml of hot chicken stock
125g cubed smoked ham
250g chicken – cooked and cubed
250 g peeled prawns
50-75g frozen peas

Method:

In a paella pan or a large, heavy and flat based frying pan or saucepan, heat butter and olive oil. Stir in onion and red pepper and fry for 3-4 minutes until softened. Sprinkle over saffron and a turmeric and fry for 30 seconds. Add garlic and fry for a minute. Stir in rice and fry for 2 minutes. Pour over chicken stock and allow to bubble rapidly, stirring continually. Reduce the heat to a simmer then stir in smoked ham, cooked chicken, prawns and peas. Simmer gently for 25-30 minutes until the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender and slightly sticky. Stir occasionally to free all drains from the base of the pan.

Seafood Rich Paella

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: approximately 40 minutes
Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

350 g paella rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion- diced
1 red pepper- deseeded and diced
Saffron -a few stands
Turmeric- 2 pinches
1-2 cloves of garlic – crushed
800 ml of hot chicken or vegetable stock
500 g of seafood selection (prawns, mussels, squid)
2-3 fresh tomatoes- peeled and chopped (or sundried tomatoes-chopped)

Method:

In a paella pan or a large, heavy and flat based frying pan or saucepan, heat olive oil. Stir in onion and red pepper and fry for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle over saffron and a turmeric and fry for 30 seconds. Add garlic and fry for a minute. Stir in rice and fry for 2 minutes. Pour over chicken or vegetable stock and allow to bubble rapidly, stirring continually. Reduce the heat to a simmer gently for 15 minutes until almost the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and slightly sticky. Then add seafood, season and cook for 5 minutes, stir occasionally to free all drains from the base of the pan. Serve sprinkle with flat-leaf parsley.