Paella with Chicken and Prawns
Spanish Paella Recipe from Casa Moro The Second Cookbook
Another brilliant paella recipe from the kitchen of Moro Restaurant, London, it can be found in the second Casa Moro Cookbook - which oozes Mediterranean dishes.
Paella with Chicken and Prawns - Paella con pollo y gambas
Ingredients – serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a main course
- 300g Prawns in their shells
- 1 litre light chicken stock
- Pinch saffron (about 20 threads)
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 350g cubed skinless chicken
- 1½ large Spanish onions, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 150g runner beans or green beans, cut into 3cm pieces
- 2 dried ñora peppers or 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 250g calasparra (paella) rice
- 75 ml white wine
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp roughly shppped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges.
Method
- Peel the prawns and put them into the fridge. Transfer the shells to a large saucepan over a high heat and add the chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes for the seafood flavour to infuse the stock. Remove from the heat, strain the stock and add the saffron. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 30-40cm paella pan or a frying pan over a medium heat to high heat. When the oil is hot and just beginning to smoke add the pieces of chicken and stir-fry for about 2 minutes until sealed on all sides but fractionally undercooked in the centre.
- With a slotted spoon remove the chicken and put to one side. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and, when it is hot, the onion and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to medium and cook for another 10-15 minutes, stirring every so often.
- Now add the chopped garlic, beans and ñora peppers and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the garlic and the onions have some colour and are sweet. Add the rice to the pan and stir for 1 minute to coat with the vegetables and oil.
- Up to this point everything can be cooked in advance. The next stage should be started about 20 minutes before you wish to eat.
- When you are ready to cook the rice, bring the stock to the boíl. Remove and keep aside. Place the paella pan over a médium heat and add the wine, followed by the hot stock and season perfectly with salt and pepper.
- Do not stir the rice after this as it affects the channels of stock, which allow the rice to cook evenly.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or until there is just a little liquid above the rice. Spread the pieces of chicken evenly over the rice and push each piece under the stock.
- Gently shake the pan to prevent sticking and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 5 more minutes or until there is just a little liquid at the bottom of the rice. Sprinklw the prawns on top before serving.
To serve
Scatter the chppped parsley over the top and the lemon on the side.
This recipe is from Casa Moro The Second Cookbook.
For another Paella Recipe or more about Spanish Saffron.
The copyright of the article Paella with Chicken and Prawns in Spanish Food is owned by Rachel L. Webb. Permission to republish Paella with Chicken and Prawns must be granted by the author in writing.
