There are many recipes for paella; this is mine. By taking a little care as you cook it the result is delicious: rice flavoured with chicken stock and scented with saffron with seafood that – very important – hasn’t been overcooked. My recipe for paella is closer to the Italian risotto recipe but I think it gives better results and the seafood flavours are fresh and delicious.
Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a deep, heavy-based saute pan. Add in the chopped shallot and garlic and sweat over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so that they don’t colour. By doing this you’re removing the water content and bringing out the shallot’s flavour and natural sweetness.
2. Pour 600ml of boiling water into a jug. Add in the Knorr Chicken Stock Pot and stir until dissolved. Add the saffron strands to the hot Knorr Chicken stock.
3. Add the risotto rice to the softened shallot and garlic, and mix in. Pour in the white wine and cook, stirring constantly, until evaporated. By reducing the white wine, you release its natural sweetness. Add the saffron-infused chicken stock a little at a time, stirring the rice so that it cooks evenly and allowing the stock to absorb into the rice before adding more stock. Add a little extra hot water at this stage if you think the rice still needs it. I like to add my stock a little at a time and cook it out before adding more as I think this way gives more flavour.
4. After the rice has been cooking for about 15 minutes, add in the cockles and cook, shaking the pan now and then, until they open up. Discard any cockles that don’t open. If you haven’t got cockles, then use clams or mussels.
5. Add the prawns and squid to the pan. I’ve used raw tiger prawns, but you can use cooked prawns if you prefer. Similarly, I cleaned and chopped the squid myself, but you can find ready-prepared squid rings in supermarkets. Sprinkle a pinch of sweet Spanish paprika over the top and stir into the rice. Heat, stirring until the prawns and squid are just cooked, for 2–3 minutes or so. Garnish with parsley and serve at once. A green salad on the side makes a nice accompaniment.
*7 mins if using cooked prawns and ready-prepared squid
