Category: rice

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Quick’ish Paella

DinnerMade a quick paella the other day. I took a large frying pan and added a splash of olive oil. To this I added some diced onions and cooked them until soft. I then added the paella rice and it always makes sense to use paella rice, and never any other kind of rice. I ensured that the rice was well coated in the oil and onions before adding some chicken stock and saffron. Always got to use saffron.

Simmer for twenty minutes adding more stock if required.

While this was cooking I grilled some cod and prawns that I served on top of the paella rice.

I didn’t have any “proper” chorizo so I cooked some sliced chorizo which I placed on the finished dish with the cooked prawns and cod.

Though delicious and all eaten up, I was slightly disappointed with the paella rice I had used, which was from Sainsbury’s. My normal paella rice is the one from Tesco, so I think next time I will buy that instead.

Books on Paella and Spanish Cooking.

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Sainsbury’s Paella

Yesterday I needed something quick for lunch and as I was passing Sainsbury’s I popped in thinking I would get a salad, in the end I bought a paella to bung into the microwave at work.

Lunch

Paprika and garlic chicken and king prawns with savoury arborio rice, red pepper and peas sprinkled with chorizo.

I kind of knew what I was expecting having bought paella from Sainsbury’s before.

This was very similar to that experience, but had more flavour than that version. It was nowhere near what I know I can create in the kitchen, but for a quick lunch it was pretty nice.

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Paella with chicken and chorizo

I seem to be cooking paella more and more recently.

The key for me is the right kind of rice and saffron. I really do like the way the saffron adds not just colour, but also flavour.

After that you can add many different things to make a really nice paella.

The dish above contains in addition to the rice and saffron, the following, chicken, chorizo, prawns, onions, pepper, pancetta and peas. This is different to the last time I cooked paella.

There is something about paella, the richness, flavours that I really enjoy.

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Paella

I seem to be cooking paella more and more recently.

The key for me is the right kind of rice and saffron. I really do like the way the saffron adds not just colour, but also flavour. Some people I know have used tumeric, however that is most certainly not saffron, and though adds a similar colour, the earthiness of tumeric really can ruin an otherwise decent paella.

After that you can add many different things to make a really nice paella.

The dish above contains in addition to the rice and saffron, the following, chorizo, prawns, onions, pepper, pancetta and a small tin of tomatoes.

There is something about paella, the richness, flavours that I really enjoy.

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Sainsbury’s Paella

So there I was at Sainsbury’s looking for something for lunch when I happened upon the Taste the Difference Paella.

Marinated succulent King prawns, chicken and chorizo made with a fresh smoked paprika-tomato ragu and saffron flavoured bomba rice topped with chargrilled red peppers.

I had seen this many times before, and though I like Paella, at £6, wasn’t really how much I wanted to spend for lunch and, I wouldn’t buy paella to eat at home as I can make a better one.

However this time it was not only on special, half price, it was also as the sell by date was today, it wasalso  reduced to £1.99.

Now I don’t mind spending £1.99 on lunch.

So how was it?

Well first the photograph above is the actual dish and not some marketing photograph.

The chicken was moist, the prawns were succulent and the peppers were nice. However the rice lacked flavour, I couldn’t taste the saffron, the chorizo was tasteless. Glad I only paid £1.99 for it and not £6!

So basically it was okay as ready meals go, but I couldn’t taste the difference.

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More Paella

Took some courgette, onions, pepper and some pancetta, and fried them together in a large heavy pan with a splash of olive oil.

I then added the paella rice, and it always makes sense to use paella rice, and never any other kind of rice.

Ensuring the rice was coated in the onions, pepper and oil, I added a splash of white wine. I then added saffron and chicken stock. The saffron I had infused in hot water. This helps to bring out the traditional yellow colour in the paella.

Simmer for twenty minutes adding more stock if required.

A few minutes before serving I added cooked prawns and slices of chorizo. I was using cooking chorizo which I had cooked separately. A handful of chopped parsley adds flavour and colour.

The dish was the put together and served.

I would have liked to use more shellfish, but all I had was prawns to hand, nice to have used squid and mussels.

I made mine quite dry this time, in the past I have added tinned tomatoes which makes for a more “wet” paella.

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Spanish Paella

Made a paella the other day.

I took a large frying pan and added a splash of olive oil. Take some pancetta and add diced onions, aubergine, courgette and soften them in the large frying pan. I then added the paella rice, and it always makes sense to use paella rice, and never any other kind of rice.

I then ensured that the rice was coated and added a splash of white wine. Then I added saffron and chicken stock. The saffron I had infused in hot water. This helps to bring out the traditional yellow colour in the paella.

I didn’t have any chopped tomatoes so I added a squirt of tomato puree instead.

Simmer for twenty minutes adding more stock if required.

I added some sliced chorizo and slices of red pepper.

In a separate pan I pan fried some prawns and squid.

These were then added to the paella and it was served.

Books on Paella and Spanish Cooking.

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Paella

Made a homemade paella the other day.

paella011009

Took some onions, pepper and some pancetta, and fried them together in a large heavy pan with a splash of olive oil.

Add some diced raw chicken.

I then added the paella rice, and it always makes sense to use paella rice, and never any other kind of rice.

Ensuring the rice was coated in the onions, pepper and oil, I would have added a splash of white wine, but alas there was no wine in the house.

So I then added saffron and chicken stock. The saffron I had infused in hot water. This helps to bring out the traditional yellow colour in the paella. I also added half a tin of chopped tomatoes. In case you wonder what to do with the other half, I made a spicy tomato sauce  for patatas brava.

Simmer for twenty minutes adding more stock if required.

A few minutes before serving add raw prawns and slices of chorizo. I was  using cooking chorizo which I had  cooked separately. A handful of chopped parsley adds flavour and colour.

The dish was the put together and served.

I would have liked to use more shellfish, but all I had was prawns to hand, nice to have used squid and mussels.

paella021009

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Rice

Rice deserves to be the star turn every now and then, says Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in the Guardian.

Once upon a time, the humble rice pudding was a very grand dish indeed. In medieval Europe, rare, expensive rice was kept locked in the spice cupboard along with all the other imported culinary jewels. In those times, the word “ambrosia” was apt; it meant “food of the Gods”, not “tinned for sale in a corner shop near you”.

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Risotto

Risotto

In a large frying pan, place some olive oil and butter. Then add some finely chopped onion, red pepper, courgette and pancetta.

Soften the onions.

Bring up the heat.

Add the risotto rice and ensure that the rice is coated in the oil and butter.

Add a splash of white wine.

Now add some chicken stock.

Keep topping up with stock to ensure that the rice doesn’t dry out.

Once the rice is virtually cooked, add a large handful of grated parmesan, some chopped parsley and some freshly ground black pepper.

Serve, garnish with a few slices of lemon.