Chorizo and Seafood Paella

See hints in making great Paella.

Chorizo and Seafood Paella

Serves 6  45cm pan

Ingredients

100g semi-cured chorizo, sliced into ½ cm rounds

2 squid or calamari tubes, sliced into 1 cm rounds

8 large green prawns

16 black mussels

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup sofrito (recipe above)

1 cup bomba rice or marisma rice

4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, cored and diced

Pinch saffron threads (Soaked in warm broth 5mins)

750ml (3 cups) water

100ml white wine

1 roasted capsicum, diced

Salt, to taste

Chopped parsley, to serve

Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Place a paella pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and chorizo and cook for five minutes until it releases some oil and looks crisp. Remove and set aside. 2. Add the sofrito to the pan and cook for five minutes, stirring regularly before adding the squid. Cook for three minutes. Add back the chorizo  then the rice. 3. Crackle the rice and stir to make sure the rice is coated in the paprika coloured oils, then pour in the wine and cook until evaporated.  Stir in the tomatoes. 4. Pour in the warm water and saffron, stir, then spread the rice evenly over the base of the pan and bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes until the rice begins to swell and absorbs some stock. 5. Add the prawns and two pinches of salt. Stir gently for the last time and reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the rice begins to show as the stock reduces. 6. Add the mussels and continue to cook for 8–10 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. 7. Reduce heat to low and cook for a further five minutes until a crust (known as a 'socarrat') forms on the bottom of the pan. 8. Sprinkle over the roasted capsicum, remove from the heat and rest for five minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

For the sofrito

60ml olive oil

1 white onions, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 large red capsicums, seeded and finely diced

¼ tsp Spanish sweet or smoked paprika

2 bay leaves

Bunch of thyme

Make sure all your ingredients are finely diced, then put in your paella pan fry (or 'sofrito') until onions are soft.

Shakshuka

 North African eggs with optional extras.  You can add anything to this including eggplant or minced meat.

Serves:  6.  Cooking time: 30mins

Ingredients:-

    1 tbsp olive oil
    1 medium brown or white onion, peeled and diced
    3-4 clove garlic, minced
    1 medium green and 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    4 cups ripe diced tomatoes, or 2 cans (400g each) diced tomatoes
    2 tbsp tomato paste
    1 tsp chill powder (mild)
    1 tsp cumin
    1/2 tsp coriander
    1 tsp paprika
    Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to taste spicy!)
    Pinch of sugar (options, to taste)
    300 - 500g raw chorizo sausages, cut in thirds and pricked.  (or browned minced meat of choice)
    3/4 Salt and 1/4 pepper to taste
    5-6 eggs
    150g  (1.25 cups) Fetta Cheese crumbled (Optional).
    1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley or cilantro (optional, for garnish)

Method:-

1.  Heat oil on medium in a deep skillet or targine.

2.  Saute chopped onion until it softens and not browned.

3.  Add garlic and continue saute until fragrant.

4.  Add Capsicum and saute 5-7 minutes until softened.  The secret is in cooking the capsicum well.

5.  Add tomatoes and paste to pan and mix well.

6.  Add spices and sugar, mix.

7.  Add the chorizo and submerge them below the sauce and allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes or until mixture thickens.  Beware of drying out or sticking.  For runny yolks, simmer for an extra 2-5 minutes.

8.  Season to taste and adjust spices (Sugar, Cayenne etc) if required.

9.  Make wells for each egg and crack eggs evenly spaced, into mixture.  Sprinkle fetta cheese over top.  Cover pan and simmer 10-15 minutes.  For runny yolks, simmer for 2 -5 minutes less.  Can be baked if preferred at 180deg.


10.  Garnish with parsley or cilantro. 

Inspiration:-  BBC goodfood
                      From James to Jamie