Paella

[hammerman]

Ok, i hate sticking to recipes.....200g of this, 50ml of that, a spoonfull of this blah blah.

I want to make a paella, does anyone do this so i can add a glug of this, a squirt of that or a handfull of this.

Most of the meals i cook don're require exact measurments so can any give me a proper Paella recipe.

Cheers

[Buenchico]

Asking how to cook paella is rather like asking to cook curry. There are a vast number of regional variations, with lots of different possible ingredients, so it's hard to know where to start. (Some people would regard fish as essential, for example, whereas others might leave the fish out and base the dish around chicken and/or chorizo).

As a starting point for a 'throw it all in and see how it comes out' technique though (which is how I like to cook anyway) there two easy recipes might help. (Read the reviews!):
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4021/easiest-ever-paella

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/764637/easy-paella

[diddlydo]

There are more paella recipes than there are days in the year so add whatever ingredients take your fancy (within reason). BUT......the essentials are proper paella rice and proper saffron - none of that nasty yellow food colouring used by cheapo restaurants in Spain.

[woofgang]

easy delicious paella
per person
1 good pinch of saffron
1/2 cup rice
1 cup water
1 knorr fish stock flavour pot, or veg or chicken (the little pots of jelly)
juice of half to one lemon to taste
frozen peas to taste
your choice any or all of of chopped onion, sweetcorn, diced red pepper
your choice, any or all of frozen small prawns
chopped cooked chicken
diced chorizo
raw king prawns
cubes of raw monk fish
mussels (greenlipped in the half sell are good if you can get them)

you need a frying pan with a lid.

if using chorizo, sweat out some of the oil, take the chorizo out of the pan and onion if using over moderate heat. Sizzle the onion for about a minute or two till it goes translucent add the rice and sizzle for about a minute turn the pan to low and add the water, stock pot and saffron and small prawns if using. Bring to the boil, then turn down and add the peas, sweetcorn, diced red pepper bring to a simmer, give it one good stir and make sure the stockpot is dissolved. pile the fish chicken, prawns mussels whatever you are using over the top in an even layer. If you are using the mussels in half shells then arrange them nicely. Put the lid on and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. The rice should be cooked and most of the liquid absorbed. Take the lid off, cover with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper, don't let it dangle in the paella. Loosely recover with the lid for a couple of minutes. Juice the lemon. Sprinkle the lemon juice evenly over the paella to taste which will depend on how lemony you want it and how lemony the lemon is. Serve. Scoff. Put any leftovers in the fridge as its delicious cold.

[retrocop]

Woofgangs recipe is as good as any but remember . A paella is a traditional farm worker/peasant/shepherds dish. They met up,lit a fire and each provided some ingredient to the pan. Rabbit was the traditional meat with some Mediterranean type veggies and of course the paella rice. No scales,measuring jugs or spoons. Bet it tasted a good as any in Valencia or Barcelona. Shellfish is a more regional addition nearer the coast. Chorizo9pronounced Choriffo) is a must for it's oily flavouring and colour. bon appetite.

[woofgang]

retro, the original recipe which I gave, came from my nephew who is a stunning cook. I loath chorizo and never add it, instead I fry the rice in a little olive oil.

[hammerman]

Brilliant Woofgang....that's the sort of recipe i like....lots of choice, can be tweaked to your own taste etc etc.