JON'S PERFECT PAELLA

 

Paella is of course something best eaten on the med. All the spectacle of having it cooked in front of you with local and so fresh its still breathing seafood in a ginormous pan is something you really cant match back home. However, with the gorgeous weather were having at the moment, Jon got right in the holiday mood so he whipped out our new paella pan to create the perfect Spanish treat just for us!

When I say perfect for us, that means there is no seafood or saffron in this paella. Shocking I know but we not really a fan of most seafood especially shellfish and saffron can be just too darn expensive and we ain't made of money! I much prefer Spanish meats so he put chorizo into the dish as well as some Quorn pieces to bump up the protein content. Feel free to add seafood or any other meats you like. For that vibrant golden colour that the saffron produces we used turmeric and paprika instead and it tastes just as delicious as well as still giving you that bright paella glow. The oils and spices from chroizo will also add to the colour palette of the dish.

That's the great thing about Paella. Its that kind of one pan dish were you can kind of chuck in anything you like to suit your taste. Go mad and experiment! As for the paella pan, do not stress if you don't have one. As long as you have a big durable non stick frying pan you'll be fine. They are a good investment tho for their durability and they make your creations look totes amazing when you present your dish to the table.

Pour the Sangria and get your paella on. Its gonna be a scorcher!

My Perfect Paella

250g Sliced Chorizo

1 Diced Red Pepper

1 Diced Sweet Red Pepper

5 Grated Garlic Cloves

1 Finely Diced Onion

2 Handful's Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped

200g Mushrooms

1 Diced Courgette

1 Tsp Turmeric

1 Tsp Paprika

250g Quorn Chicken Pieces

300g Paella Rice

400g Tin Of Chopped Tomatoes

Approximately 600ml Vegetable Stock

Salt And Pepper To Season

1. Pour a good glug of olive oil into your pan and place on a medium heat Once the oil is hot add in your sliced chorizo and fry until they have started to go crisp and change colour slightly.
2. Add in the diced peppers, garlic, onion, parsley, mushrooms, courgette, turmeric, paprika and Quorn pieces give everything a good stir before frying until the vegetables have begun to soften.
3. Add in the rice and give it a quick stir through all the other ingredients to coat it with the flavors of all the spices andchorizo goodness. Add in the tinned tomatoes and mix them through all the other ingredients before adding 500ml of the stock and mix everything through again.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste before bringing everything to a boil stirring constantly to make sure the rice does not stick to the pan. Once boiling reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, continuing to stir as you go. If the pan looks like it's beginning to dry out then use the remaining stock to top up the liquid in the pan.

Whats also good about this dish is that you could prepare and cook it early if you wish, leave in the pan and then reheat in the oven by just whacking the pan in the oven for a bit to warm through again.

Transfer the pan to the table and serve straight from the pan for that true Mediterranean holiday feel.You may get some crispy, crunchy burnt bits around the edges and base (and don't tell anyone but these are the best bits!).

Viva Espana!