Sunday, 18 November 2012

Paella

Firstly, Nigel would like to say thank you for all the birthday greetings and good wishes he received from literally all round the world! He is not one for wanting to be in the spotlight and was therefore overwhelmed by all the publicity, but he was most appreciative nevertheless. :-)

A couple of weekends ago, I bought some Mozambican prawns from the seafood trader at the Saturday market.  I got home and then wondered what I was going to do with them!  I decided that paella sounded a good choice, despite being short of some of the ingredients I would usually use.  I found the following around the house.

Ingredients
About 10 cms or 4 inches chorizo, cut into thin slices
110g/4oz pancetta, cut into small dice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 tsp soft thyme leaves (1/2 teasp dry, if you have not got thyme in the garden)
1 small chilli, chopped
1 cup of rice
1 tsp paprika
1/2 cup dry white wine
About 3 cups of chicken stock, hot
3 chicken breasts, each chopped in large bite size pieces 

2 to 3 fillets of white fish cut into bite size pieces
1 cup of frozen peas 
1 tin chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter
6 to 8 Large cloves of garlic, separated and peeled
12 prawns, in shells, preferably raw

5 tbsp chopped green parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat half the olive oil in a paella dish or heavy-based non stick frying pan. Add the chorizo and pancetta and fry until crisp. Add the garlic, onion and pepper and heat until softened.
 Add the thyme, chilli  and  rice, and stir until all the grains of rice are nicely coated and glossy. Now add the paprika and dry white wine and when it is bubbling, pour in the hot chicken stock, add the chicken pieces and cook for 5-10 minutes.  

Add the pieces of fish fillet. Sprinkle in the peas and chopped tomatoes and continue to cook gently for another 10 minutes.

Note - I always have hot water on hand, in case the rice takes up more liquid than expected, and I just add a little if the ingredients look a bit dry.


Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil  and butter with the garlic cloves in a separate pan and add the prawns. Fry quickly for a minute or two then add them to the paella. 

Scatter the chopped parsley over the paella and serve immediately.

For my usual recipe with all the normal ingredients see Here
Add the chorizo and pancetta
 Add the thyme, chilli  and  rice
Chicken, fish and peas added

Fry the prawns and the garlic
Add the prawns to the main dish and serve.

Bon appétit.  







 
See also - My Life Before Charente Updated 18/11/12

94 comments:

  1. i love a good paella and this looks wonderful. i will be trying this very soon! thanks so much for the recipe!

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    1. One of our favourite dishes, even when I don't have all the ingredients! Take care Diane

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  2. Diane I adore paella and this look awesome and delicious:))

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    1. We could eat it on a regular basis :-)) Keep well Diane

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  3. I like how you streamlined the recipe and made it home-friendly!

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    1. Thanks roasari, I hate it when there are pictures all over the place, makes recipes so much harder to save unless people do a print version. Have a good week. Diane

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  4. Replies
    1. Cuisine de Provence it was that LOL. Enjoy your week. Diane

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  5. Hi Diane .. bon appetit - where's my portion?!!

    Delighted Nigel had a happy birthday ... he sounds like my Mama ... amazed at everyone's attention it was always thrilling to see the happiness.

    Your Paella looks just delicious .. and such a wonderful dish for an autumn day - oooohhhh I'm drooling .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Hilary pity you had not been here, there was too much for the two of us!! This really is one of our favourite dishes. Have a good week Diane

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  6. That looks delicious!
    My basic recipe is like your usual one....but without fish and without pancetta. I'll try it your way next time...with our home cured pork.

    I used to use mussels...but can't get fresh here and don't like razor clams so I use the calamari and the local version of cockles...both fortunately cheap!

    In fact I'll do that for Tuesday supper as we're in San Jose in the morning and I can go to the fish stands on the market.

    Thank you!

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    1. Fly can we pop over on Tuesday and join you for supper, home cured pork sounds delicious? I sometimes also use mussels. I have to admit to buying what is available at a sensible price! The recipe is seldom quite the same twice!

      Hope you have a good week Diane

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  7. Replies
    1. Susan it was delicious though I say it my self :-) Keep well Diane

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  8. Oh my, you're far more ambitious than I. This is just not worth the effort for one person…but someday!

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    1. Delana this was for two, but I have made it for myself in the past, though I take short cuts then !! Have a good week. Diane

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  9. Love paella! This one looks delicious.

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    1. JM always one of our favourite I have to say and yes this was pretty yummy :-) Have a good week Diane

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  10. Save some for me; this looks delicious.

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    1. Terra it was good, have a great week. Diane

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  11. The prawns look juicy and plump and I can almost smell and taste your paella from here. Have a great week ahead Diane.

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    1. Joyful it was very yummy. Not sure if I am looking forward to this week, the guys are back tomorrow to change 3 windows and re-tile the bathroom! You have a good week though Diane

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  12. Replies
    1. Frico just let me know when LOL. Take care Diane

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  13. That reminds me of Spain. My mouth is actually watering looking at this.

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    1. Diane b it is a mouth watering dish I have to agree. Keep well Diane

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  14. Hey I was just looking at buying a paella pan today! I have a gift certificate to use. I have never made paella before, and yours looks wonderful!

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    1. Lyndsey I have two paella pans but when just cooking for the two of us I use the non stick frying pan as it is smaller. Enjoy your week and spending your gift voucher. Diane

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  15. Paella is always a good choice ! ;o)

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    1. Hélène you are so right and it is so yummy. Have a good week Diane

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  16. I have never eaten paella, and I don't intend to, because of the seafood in it.. I know you can make other versions though..

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    1. Mihaela if you don't like sea food then paella is not for you. Yes I guess the sea food could be left out but the taste would certainly change. Hope that you have a good week. Diane

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  17. Now that looks soooo yummy!
    I would add plenty more shrimps! Haha!
    Cheers Diane!

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    1. Noushka I always find it difficult to buy raw prawns, they always seem to be cooked which messes up the dish as far as I am concerned. I like to cook them my way with a quick cook and a crispy shell! Keep well and take care Diane xx

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  18. my paella is always too wet:( I am not enough patient, I guess:)
    Blog about life and travelling
    Blog about cooking

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    1. Ola cut back on the liquid and do what I do, keep some hot water on stand by if needed. Good luck Diane

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  19. Replies
    1. Sara Louise hard to go wrong with the flavours in this dish :-) Have a good week Diane

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  20. Ooo, looks so delicious and easy to make. Wonderful recepie. Thanks for sharing.

    Red

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    1. Boye By Red, it is easy though some people seem to think it is not. I love it and as long as you have the ingredients there is no problems. As you have seen I just made do here with what I had and it tasted just as good as normal. Take care Diane

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  21. My goodness gracious -- I am so hungry right now -- and it's all your fault! Thanks for the recipe and the method.

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    1. The Broad, sorry did not mean to make you hungry LOL. Hope you try it and enjoy, Have a great week Diane

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  22. This seems really to be a Great Paella.
    I am sure the taste was wonderful.
    You didn't use saffron: is it because you don't like it or just because at that moment you was short of it? I love saffron (the one from Italy is one of the best),but not all of the people like it.

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    1. Andrea if you had followed the link to my usual recipe you will see that I do have saffron in it. At the moment I have non in the house mainly because it is just too expensive here! I have to say that paella to me has so many wonderful flavours that the saffron is not noticed that much when I do use it! Thanks for the visit, take care Diane

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  23. Ola querida amiga,realmente tua PAELLA está de dar 'água na boca',seu perfume esta quase saindo pela telinha e chegando aqui em casa, em terra brasileira.Adorei tua visitinha e espero que tenhas uma ótima semana.Meu grande abraço.

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    1. Suzane obrigado pelo comentário. Estou feliz que você gosta do meu paella. Bom dia Diane

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  24. A favourite dish of ours as well Diane.

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    1. Linda we love it, i have decided that I do not cook it often enough! Keep well Diane

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  25. I've never made Paella....but yours looks divine....also....a late birthday wish to Nigel.....you two are a lovely couple.

    xo

    Jo

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    1. Jo thanks for the very kind comment and birthday wishes passed on. Have a great cruise, relax and enjoy. diane

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  26. Bon appétit, indeed! This looks and sounds fabulous and I know there would be no leftovers to deal with were I to serve it to my family. This is a lovely recipe, Diane. Thanks for sharing it with us. Have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

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    1. Mary this is really worthwhile cooking, The flavour is amazing and so yummy. Have a good week and take care, Diane

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  27. Replies
    1. Fabrizia thanks so much for your visit and comment. Love your blog and your choice of clothes. Have a good week Diane

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  28. I've never made paella though I love it - yours looks delightful!

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    1. The Café Sucré Farine it really is very simple and what a great dish to serve up. Sure you would make it again after having tried it once. Have a good week Diane

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  29. Beaucoup de saveurs dans cette paella. J'aime beaucoup.
    A bientôt.

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    1. Nadji, merci pour le commentaire. Nous aimons aussi cette recette. Bonne journée. Diane

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  30. We have only ever made paella once - time we had another go I think - yours looks scrummy !!

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    1. Jean I make it fairly often it is easy if you have all the ingredients and the taste is just wonderful. I usually make too much, but it is always good the next day as well. Take care Diane

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  31. Prawns on top of chicken? Sounds delightful. The friend who comes for Thanksgiving every year always brings a huge tray of prawns, and they're something I very much anticipate! This looks like a good meal to serve on one of those cold nights in late December, when it's dark at 4:20PM here.

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    1. Marjie do try paella I am sure you will not regret it. If the family don't fall for this I will be very surprised. Enjoy your day Diane

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  32. Wow, look at the size of those prawns. I can't get over how fabulous they look. Lovely dish Diana and very impressive too.
    Sam

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    1. Thanks Sam, it is a dish I quite often cook as we love it so much. Have a good day. Diane

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  33. Sara thanks for your visit and comment. This recipe really is not complicated and I am sure you would love it. Take care Diane

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  34. Thank you for your comment, looking forward to read a new recipe of yours!
    Come back soon to visit my: fashion blog!
    Vivi clothes giveaway!!

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    1. Fabrizia, thanks for the visit, keep well Diane

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  35. That looks absolutely delicious! Oddly enough I have never tried to cook paella before but your simple-looking recipe means that I shall most certainly be rectifying that situation very soon indeed.

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    1. Fripouille it really is easy and so delicious, let me know how you get on. Keep well Diane

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  36. Wow! It looks amazing Diane!

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    1. Pam it is really yummy and worth the little bit of effort that goes into it. Happy thanksgiving Diane

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  37. Hi Diane ... I adore Paella .. but have never cooked it. I think I just like someone else to cook it ,.,, :-) I love the Paella of the French markets to take home and eat .. soooo tasty, but I am sure yours tastes just as good , take care xoxo

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    1. Hi Anne I have to admit to never buying paella in the market.... The only time I have had it away from home is in Spain and I think mine is equally as good :-) Just my opinion of course. Have a good weekend and take care Diane xx

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  38. Replies
    1. Jay you are right it is lip smacking good :-) Have a great day Diane

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  39. DEAR DIANE, WHAT A GREAT PAELLA, IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL, GREAT JOB! BIG HUGS

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    1. Pamela thanks for the kind comment. I think paella always looks beautiful :-) Take care Diane

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  40. Replies
    1. Damyanti it tastes pretty amazing as well :-)))) Have a good weekend Diane

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  41. Dear Diane, your paella is sooooo great!
    Congratulations :)
    Un besito linda!
    http://janakitchen.blogspot.com

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    1. Jana thanks for the kind comment. Have a good day Diane

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  42. first class paella i must try one day

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    1. Rebecca I am sure that you would love this dish, it is excellent. Take care Diane

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  43. I have not prepared paella in years and I am not sure why. Yours sounds and looks divine, and I have marked the recipe for future cooking plans!

    Bises,
    Genie

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    1. Genie it is well worth the little effort that goes into it. It really is delicious. Have a good day.
      Bises, Diane

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  44. Replies
    1. Words Of Deliciousness it was both, we thoroughly enjoyed it, yum yum :-)) Keep well Diane

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  45. Oh my gosh, this looks sumptuous! I love shrimp but never tried making paella yet, thanks for sharing the recipe!

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    1. Chubskulit Rose this dish is always worth cooking, it is delicious :-)) Diane

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  46. i feel so hungry now looking at your paella, wish i can take a plate go over your place to taste your paella, yum!

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    1. Sonia I wish you were close enough to do just that. Diane

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  47. i know this is such a popular dish but i've yet to try it out, even i cant find it being served in restaurants at my place here. Despite you said that it lacks some of the ingredients, it still looks wonderful to me!

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    1. Lena it was very yummy despite missing quite a few ingredients :-) Diane

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  48. its looking so good+yummy! I bet your tummies were happy;-))

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