Richards Paella

Prep Time: 0 Minutes

Cook Time: 0 Minutes

Ready In: 0 Minutes

Servings: 2

Paella is one of my favourite dishes. I wanted to cook it the old fashioned way and used charcoal and twigs on my grill to give it the smoky authentic flavour. Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg of fresh whole shrimp ( you can also use shrimp without the head)

1/4 kg of fresh small lobster tails ( aragostelle in italy..pretty spiny) they are about 2-3 inches in length at least here in italy, i miss the ones from maine or jamaica

1/4 kg of fresh calamari

1/4 kg of chicken

one small chorizo sausage ( optional)

1 tsp of good saffron

1 diced red bell pepper ( roasted in the oven and skin removed)

3 cups of homemade fish broth ( you can use the store bought if you like)

1 small white or spanish onion

5 cloves of garlic (if you don't like garlic, who doesn't like garlic eh!! well you can reduce the amount)

4 tbs of good extra virgin olive oil

1/2 glass of dry white wine ( i never use wine that i don't drink to cook)

2 cups of basmati rice

salt to taste

1 pinch of hot red chili pepper flakes ( optional)

above all a paella pan

Directions:

1. Wash and soak your Basmati rice in water while you are preparing the below.
2. Turn on the grill (Charcoal)l or your stove
3. Put your Paella pan ( or a large sauce pan)
4. Add your oil and when hot add your diced garlic and onion
5. Use a wooden spoon and saute them until translucent
6. Add your diced chicken and cook for 5 mins
7. Add your whole shrimp, lobster tails and calamari cut into rings, if you are using Chorizo add it as well.
8. Stir for about 3 mins
9. Add your drained rice and saute for another 3 mins
10. Add the fish broth, red pepper, wine, salt to taste and saffron ( chili pepper if you are using) and let it simmer for about 25 mins to half an hour.
11. Stir constantly
12. The rice has to soak up all the water.. cook further if the rice is not completely done.. add some wine if its too dry
13. The key is you don't want the Paella too soupy.. so be careful with adding more wine. I prefer my Paella dry.
14. We have a little barbecue in our fireplace and the Paella pan fits there wonderfully... I prefer the smoky taste and the way people used to cook on open fire before we had gas stoves... Anyway in my opinion this was the best Paella i every made ( The first time i cooked it on a charcoal grill.. I also used twigs to give it a bit of flame)

By RecipeOfHealth.com