Paella

Prep time: 15-20 minutes  

Cooking time: 35-45 minutes  

Serves: 6-8 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil 

  • ½ cup fennel, fine dice  

  • 1 tbsp Spanish spice mix  

  • 400g chopped tomatoes, 1 can  

  • 2 tsp salt  

  • 4 cups chicken stock 

  • 1 pinch saffron  

  • 2 duck breasts, skin on and scored  

  • 2 chorizos, diced  

  • 1 red capsicum, fine dice 

  • 1 brown onion, fine dice 

  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced  

  • 2 cups paella rice Arroz or Arborio  

  • 250g peeled prawns 

  • 1 kg mussels  

  • 1/3 cup parsley, finely chop  

  • ¼ cup sherry vinegar 

Method: 

  1. Bring a pot to high heat, drizzle olive oil and add the fennel. Sauté for 3 minutes add the chopped tomatoes, add the Spanish spice and add the salt.  

  1. Cook for 3 minutes, add the stock and one cup of water. Bring to the boil, add the saffron and turn down to medium heat. Simmer for 15 –20 minutes to develop flavours.  

  1. Bring a large paella pan (approximately 40-50 cm diameter) to medium high heat using 2–3 burners of your cooktop or on a paella burner. 

  1. Place the duck breast skin side down and let it render for 5-7minutes until golden and crispy. Remove from pan. Cut the breasts into 2cm pieces and set aside. 

  1. Using the duck fat, on medium high heat, sauté the chorizos for 3 minutes. Add the capsicum and sauté for 3 minutes, add the onion and the garlic, sauté for another 3 minutes until soft and caramelised. 

  1. Add the duck and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the rice and saute for another 2 minutes. 

  1. Add the stock and mix with all the ingredients until commence to boil.  

  1. Add the prawns and stir through. Cook for 5 minutes until the liquid is halfway down. 

  1. Place the mussels all around the paella and pressing down so they are halfway submerging into the rice and the liquids 

  1. Stop stirring and turn down tom low, lightly cover with foil and let it cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and a lightly caramelization has form on the bottom of the rice (crispy and sticky) 

  1. Turn off the heat, splash some of the sherry vinegar all over the paella and let it rest for 5 minutes.  

  1. Serve with lemon wedges and garnish with chopped parsley. 

Ingredients for Paella