There are all sorts of different recipes for paella – each version differs slightly. Luis uses his Mum’s recipe for a mixed paella – totally traditional and very tasty indeed, the secret being that all the ingredients should be fresh and carefully chosen. And the other secret is time and patience – allow two and a half hours for preparation (including making the stock) and cooking of the paella and never leave it alone! Have fun!
Ingredients
For the stock: 1 onion | 1 carrot | 1 leek | 3 cloves garlic | 1 bayleaf | parsley |salt and black pepper |chicken carcass or bones | a bit of fish/prawns, one or two mussels and clams | 1 litre water
For the sofrito: 1 carrot | 1 onion | 2 cloves garlic| 1 small green pepper | 1 small red pepper | half stick celery (all chopped) | Olive oil | 1 tomato (peeled and chopped) | salt and black pepper & a few threads of saffron | 1 glass white wine | 1 teaspoon pimenton dulce (paprika)
Main ingredients:
- half a chicken or rabbit (cut up in small pieces)
- prawns | monk fish | conger eel | squid | clams |mussels (However much you like of these, but all should be fresh)
- frozen peas
- rice (ratio 1 cup rice to 2 cups stock, 2 cups rice make a good paella for 6)
1 red pepper (roasted) for garnish
Method
- Make the stock. Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 and a half hours.
- Roast red pepper in oven. Once roasted put in a plastic bag to remove the skin more easily. Leave in a plastic bag until cool. This pepper is used to garnish the paella. Cut into strips.
- Make the sofrito. Put 2tbsp olive oil into the paella pan. Saute the chicken or rabbit in this till golden brown. Drain and leave on a plate. Then add the chopped veg from the sofrito ingredients to the same oil until they are half done. Add the tomato and saffron and seasoning. Cook until soft.
- When this is done, add the sauteed chicken or rabbit, the fish and the squid, a glass of white wine and the pimenton: cook for a few minutes, stirring all the time.
- Then add the rice and fry for a couple of minutes. Then add the stock and then the prawns, clams, mussels and peas etc. Cook for 18 minutes (but keep an eye on this- you can add more stock as you go along) N.B. The stock should be very hot when you add this to the rice.
- Once the rice is cooked cover the paella pan with a cloth or newspaper (this is the best) for 5 minutes. Then garnish with red roasted pepper. SERVE!
!Buen provecho!