Mid-Week Stovetop Paella

Cooking during the week is always a struggle...I keep running out of ideas and never know what to cook. I'm sure there are a few of you in the same boat.  Last night I put together a stove top Paella.  This is not a traditionally cooked Paella but it is definitely authentic in taste.  My Paella dish is absolutely massive, it feeds about 20 people so using that last night was not an option.  Instead I cooked it in a deep dish casserole pan that's fitted with a lid.  Worked perfectly and I had it cooked in under an hour. I even managed to achieve a gorgeous caramelised Socarrat on the bottom of my rice.  Socarrat is the flavoursome caramelised crust that forms on the base of the Paella Pan when the heat is turned up at the end of cooking.  You know you have a great Paella when you have achieved a great Socarrat.  Quick, tasty and one for the whole family...my kind of recipe!

Serves 4-6

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 large onion cut in half then sliced in moon shape

1 large red capsicum - sliced

6 chicken wings, tip removed and cut at joint

1 chorico - sliced

2 large tomatoes - diced

1/2 bunch pasley - finely chopped

250g green prawns

1 large squid tube

10 large green mussels

1 large fish fillet of choice cut into small chunks

Garlic

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups medium grain rice

saffron threads - small pack

1/2 cup frozen peas

salt / pepper - season to taste

Lemon and finely chopped parsley to serve

Add the olive oil to the pan and bring to heat.

Add the onion, garlic and the capsicum and cook until soft.

Add the Chorizo and cook until golden and crusty.

Remove the onion, capsicum and chorizo and set aside.

You will now have a flavoursome olive oil base.

To this add the chicken wings and cook until golden and cooked through. 

Remove once done.

Add the squid and cook until just cooked.

To the pan, add the onion, capsicum, chorizo.

Add the tomato and Parsley and cook down the tomato.

Add the rice and stir to combine with the oil.

Mix the saffron with a little hot water to release flavour and colour.

Add the Chicken Stock to the pan.

Add the saffron to the pan.

Mix to combine.

Place the chicken wings around the pan.

Add the peas to the pan.

Cover and cook for about 20 minutes.

Remove lid and add the prawns, mussels and the fish.

Cook for a further 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

Serve sprinkled with finely chopped Parsley and wedges of Lemon.

If you can see that there is still stock to be absorbed remove from heat and keep the lid on for about 10 minutes.  The stock will absorb into the rice.  This is when you know the Paella is ready for serving.

Enjoy!