Paella -
Inspired by Chef Mauro Callegari, The Independent Gembrook
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Olive oil
2 red capsicums, diced
150g semi dried spanish chorizo, diced
350 g chicken thigh fillets cut into chunky pieces
3 spring onions finely chopped
Big pinch saffron threads crushed well between your fingers
2-3 confit garlic cloves*, diced
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
300 g calasparra or bomba rice
1/2 jalapeno very finely chopped
200 g calamari, sliced
200g firm white fish ( rockling works well)
150g cleaned green prawns
150g mussels and pippy meat - cleaned and shells removed
750 ml half and half blend of seafood and chicken stock, hot (plus extra)
200 g fresh or frozen peas
lemon juice
Big handfull chopped flat-leaf, dill, mint to serve
Fermented green Kampot pepper to serve
Method
1/ Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a paella pan (approx 36cm) or large shallow frying pan over medium heat. Add capsicum and chorizo and cook for about 5-10 mins stirring often until the fat from the chorizo is released and the capsicum starts to soften.
2/ Add the chicken and cook until the chicken starts to develop some colour.
3/ Add the tomatoes, spring onions, chilli and confit garlic and a generous pinch of salt and stir well for a minute or two. ( The salt will help release the liquid from the tomatoes and begin to form a saucy consistency.
4/ Add the and rice and stir for a minute to coat each of the grains with oil and flavour. Add the hot stock and crushed saffron, stir one last time and bring to the boil. From now on don’t stir the rice as you want to encourage a caramelised crust to form on the bottom of the pan, this is called the socarrat and is the key to authentic paella.
5/ When the stock boils and the grains begin to swell, scatter the squid, fish and prawns over the rice. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes until the stock has reduced enough that you can see the rice underneath. Scatter the mussels and pippies into the rice and cook for a few more minutes. Check using a spoon to see if a crust is forming, if it seems too dry add a little bit more stock, if it is still very wet continue to cook for a few more minutes.
6/Turn the heat down and scatter with the peas and add a generous squeeze of lemon juice to the rice and simmer for another 5 minutes over low heat. Check the rice for seasoning.
7/ When the rice is al dente - turn off the heat and allow the rice to rest covered with a large clean tea towel for about 10 minutes
8/ Scatter the paella with the fresh herbs, a big pinch of fermented green peppercorns and a very generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil .