Seafood Paella
One pot cooking for 15 friends? Go for a paella. I must admit I’ve always been scared off because a) it uses saffron – so expensive and how do you use it b) seafood – and lots of it – how do you time it correctly and c) well it’s kinda exotic. Well thanks to a SunRice recipe and also Donna Hay, I’ve come up with a hybrid of the two recipes that seemed to please the crowd I had over. I served it with sangria too – as long as there’s red wine, vodka, chopped fruit – the variations are up to you!
Ingredients (for 15)
- 2 cups arborio rice
- a pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tblspoons hot water
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 chorizo sausages
- 1 squid tube
- 1 sliced red capsicum
- half kg of uncooked prawns
- 500g chicken meat
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 300g piece of fish fillet (I used barramundi)
- 1 tablespoon smokey paprika
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Method
- In a large (I meant large!) deep frypan or paella pan, saute the sliced chorizo until cooked. Set aside. Do the same for the chicken.
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and saute the onion until translucent. Add the rice and saute slightly to form a crust on the outside so it doesn’t go all gluggy when you cook it.
- Add the paprika, saffron (and water) and the stock, and bring to the boil.
- Arrange the seafood and capsicum in a nice pattern in the pan, add back the chorizo and the chicken, and place lid on the pan. Simmer on low-medium heat for 20-25mins or until the seafood and rice is cooked.
- Scatter chopped parsley, and bring to the table to serve.