Paella

If there's one thing I'm particularly fucking chuffed about from my past, it's that when in Spain I learnt how to make pretty authentic paella from scratch.

Third one in a month tonight and what a fucking dish - squid done to perfection, mussels (although not the usual shell-on, it's Sunday, twat of a country) shell-on prawns, bit of fish in to break up, saffron, chorizo, chicken and all the other standard bits.

I could honestly eat it every meal until then end of time

It certainly takes some beating Bert.
We try to have one here at least once a week.

I buy a two pound bag of mussels and do my own wash, de-beard, scrape and steam, Tone, and the therapy alone out of that is worth the entrance fee.

Here's my take on it.

Olive oil
Good sized onion
3 cloves garlic
1 Red pepper
5 tbsp long grain rice
200g garden peas
400g tin chopped/crushed tomatoes in juice or passata
250ml water
A few strands of saffron
4 chicken thighs, pre-roasted
100g chorizo
200g filleted fish (coley, cod, whiting, say)
250g shell on prawns
1lb shell-on prepared mussels, washed and steamed for 4/5 minutes
1 squid, washed and dressed, in strips/rings
(Optional) Seafood mix pack of mussels, squid and prawns

1. Dice onion and garlic, fry in olive oil on a medium/lowish heat until soft
2. Add red pepper and peas
3. Add rice and fry for a minute or so until it becomes translucent
4. Add tomatoes and water. Stir to mix. Add saffron.
5. Add chicken in bite-sized pieces. Add chorizo in small cubes.
6. Cook a few minutes, allowing rice to soak up liquid. Fold mixture frequently, keeping the rice from sticking to the pan. Always level the surface after folding
7. Add fish (without skin) and stir/fold as before.
8. After a couple of minutes more, add prawns (and seafood mix)
9. When the rice is nearly cooked and liquid is mostly absorbed, add mussels.
10. After a couple of minutes, when rice is cooked, turn off heat. Add squid and fold in. Cover and allow to cook in the pan's heat for about 5 minutes.
11. Have salt on stand-by as required, eat with freshly baked crusty baguette

Three big servings and enough over for a decent bit later

When I get home in March I'll follow that to the letter and report back to you.

I think it was Proust who said he bit into a madeleine and his entire childhood came flooding back on the one taste. I regress to age 20 at the first mussel I dig out filled with rice and such. Wonderful stuff

Recipe's here, Tone. I know you'll have gone looking...

NotBert wrote:I think it was Proust who said he bit into a madeleine and his entire childhood came flooding back on the one taste. I regress to age 20 at the first mussel I dig out filled with rice and such. Wonderful stuff

I think im like that with cockles.mmm

NotBert wrote:Recipe's here, Tone. I know you'll have gone looking...

Will be doing it soon.....next time we have a BBQ

Did you ever do this, Tone?

Of course not.

  

You've let yourself down. Have had a few goes since, never a disappointment

Going to make a bastard version tonight and a proper tomorrow.

Now my mouth is watering.....Looks like I may have to do it after all.

The bastard version was decent, yet to decide what to do with the other lesser half.

The show is tomorrow, Mum doesn't know yet, she will be pleased...

Bang on. Was in the car Monday and OH said 'have you been eating garlic' and my reply was 'yes, copiously' as I took the last of the bastard version to work for my dinner. Had the other proper on the day and the night after as well