Don’t let the lack of a paella pan hold you back. Find a large cast iron pot or pan and just follow the ‘don’t stir the rice’ rule!

Paella-ish dish

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

½  cup olive oil 
Salt and milled pepper 
1 lemon, halved 
8 skin-on chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks
100-150g chorizo 
2 red peppers, finely diced 
2 yellow peppers, finely diced 
2 onions, finely diced 
5 cloves garlic, chopped 
3 salad tomatoes, grated 
300g arborio (risotto) rice 
2 Tbsp smoked paprika 
1 tsp cumin 
Pinch of turmeric
3-4 strands saffron (optional)
5 cups hot chicken stock  

For serving  

Parsley
Lemon wedges
Aioli (garlic mayonnaise) 

Method

1. Prepare medium-hot coals — you should be able to hold your hand at grid-level for 7 seconds without burning.  
2. Season chicken well and drizzle over half the oil and lemon juice.
3. Braai for 15 minutes or until well charred, turning halfway through. Remove and set aside. 
4. Place a large 30cm cast iron skillet or a paella pan on the grid or on a triangle stand. 
5. Heat remaining oil in skillet and fry chorizo until crisp. Remove and set aside.
6. Sauté peppers and onions for 8 minutes, stirring regularly. Add garlic and tomato and cook for another 2 minutes.  
7. Stir in rice and spices then fry for a few seconds. 
8. Combine saffron (if using) with hot stock and add to pan. Season. 
9. Return chicken and chorizo to pan. Briefly stir to combine, then refrain from stirring for the rest of the cooking time.
10. Cover with foil and cook until liquid is below rice level, about 22-25 minutes. Uncover and cook until the rice is crispy at the bottom, but not dry on top.  
11. Remove skillet and scatter with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and aioli on the side. 

Fun foodie fact  

While we often associate paella with seafood, the Eastern province of Valencia in Spain is known for their chicken paella. Not only delicious, it is also an affordable way to feed a crowd. 

Recipe by: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine

Also read: Braai grid mushroom pizza

The post Paella-ish dish appeared first on MyKitchen.

From the sofrito that forms the flavour base to the socarrat that results in the end, Liezl Vermeulen shares the secrets she learnt in Spain to making paella. Buen provecho!   

Paella pointers, tips and lingo  

Everything you need to know to make an authentic paella so good, a Spaniard would delight and indulge in it!  

The Base-ics 

An authentic paella always starts with sofrito – a blend of onion, peppers, garlic and grated tomato (remember, fresh is best) that is sautéed over a low heat to form the base of your dish. 

Also read: 3 Delicious Paella Dishes to Make in Under an Hour

Red hot  

Saffron  

Why are these little crimson flower stigmas so expensive (more expensive in weight than gold, in fact)? Since the crops are small, each flower only produces three strands and can only be hand-picked at certain times of the day. Take the plunge if you can afford it because a little goes a long way in adding great flavour.   

Smoked Paprika  

There are three different types of peppers that can be used to make smoked paprika – sweet, hot (or spicy) and bitter-sweet. True Spanish paprika, pimentón de la vera, is dried by smoking paprika over an oak fire for up to three days. It has an earthy, smoky depth of flavour that is unmatched. Regular or plain paprika is sun-dried.   

Paella 101  

Must-haves  

– Rice: The best rice to use (that can be found locally) is arborio or risotto rice.
– Good-quality stock: It makes all the difference. We used a liquid stock concentrate.
– Smoked paprika: Invest in smoked paprika for an authentic, smoky flavour.  

Nice-to-haves  

– Saffron: 3-4 strands are all you’ll need. Mix with warm stock to extract the most flavour. Can’t find it? Simply omit from the recipe.
– Paella pan: What makes a paella pan great is its size. Don’t have one? Use the biggest pan you can find or divide rice and stock between two pans to make sure your rice isn’t stacked higher than 2cm.   

The All-important socarrat  

The tell-tale sign of a good paella is the socarrat – the crispy rice layer that forms on the bottom of the pan. It develops when the starch in the rice and meat juices are reduced and is described as the tastiest part of a paella, so be sure to dish up those pan scrapings.  

Did you know?  

Paella is pronounced “pa-ey-ya”. (In Spanish, a double L is pronounced as a ‘y’.)  

Recipes and styling: Liezl Vermeulen 

Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine 

Also read: South African almost-paella recipe

The post Pointers for the perfect paella appeared first on MyKitchen.

This delicious seafood paella will hit the spot! Tip:You can replace half the shellfish with extra fish or fried calamari. 

Seafood paella 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil
8-12 prawns, cleaned
400g hake or any sustainable white fish
Salt and milled pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 large red peppers, finely chopped  

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large salad tomatoes, grated
1 ½ cups arborio (risotto) rice
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
3-4 threads saffron (optional)  

5 cups hot fish or vegetable stock
8-12 mussels, cleaned and steamed
Fresh parsley, lemon wedges and aioli, for serving  

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large ovenproof pan.
2. Fry prawns and fish until parcooked. Season, remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining oil to pan and fry onion until soft.
3. Add peppers, garlic and tomato and fry for 5-8 minutes. Increase heat and stir through rice and paprika, then fry for a few seconds.
4. Combine saffron, if using, with stock and pour over rice.
5. Briefly stir to combine, then avoid stirring for the rest of the cooking time.
6. Simmer for 3 minutes, reduce heat then simmer for 5 more minutes or until liquid is just below rice level.  
7. Return prawns and fish to pan then add mussels.
8. Cover with foil and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 5 minutes.
9. Remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Top with parsley and serve with lemon and aioli on the side.  

Recipes and styling: Liezl Vermeulen 

Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine 

Also read: Pointers for the perfect paella

The post Seafood paella recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

This dish can also be made on the stovetop, simply use a pot for the paella and fry the boerewors in a pan. 

South African almost-paella

Serves 4 

Ingredients

1 Tbsp oil 
1 onion, chopped 
3 robot peppers, sliced 
2 cloves garlic 
1 Tbsp smoked paprika 
1 tsp ground coriander 
1 ½ cups risotto rice 
3 ½ cups beef stock 
1 can (410g) corn kernels, drained 
500g boerewors 
Handful chopped fresh parsley, for serving  

Method 

1. Heat oil in a cast-iron potjie pot over hot coals and sauté onion and peppers until soft. 
2. Add garlic, spices and rice and fry for a minute to toast, stirring to coat. 
3. Pour in beef stock and corn then simmer for 20-25 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. 
4. Braai boerewors over hot coals until cooked through. Rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into small portions. 
5. Toss wors through the paella and serve with a scattering of fresh parsley.

Compiled by: Sjaan van der Ploeg

Photography: Zhann Solomons, Fresh Living Magazine

Also read: 3 Delicious Paella Dishes to Make in Under an Hour

The post South African almost-paella recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

Mixed veggie paella for the braai 

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 40 min 

Light up the fire and let this mixed veggie paella simmer on the braai while you enjoy a cold one with your mates. Sounds like an exciting time to us! 

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 cups long grain rice
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
200g sugar snap peas, steamed
1 tin chickpeas, drained
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Handful parsley, chopped

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a braai pan over medium coals. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic, rice, paprika and chilli flakes and stir well. Then add the vegetable stock and chopped tomatoes. Allow to simmer, stirring regularly for about 10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, braai the peppers until charred. Then peel, remove the seeds and slice.
4. Add the peppers, sugar snap peas and chickpeas. Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring until the rice is cooked. Season to taste.
5. Serve hot with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography by: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Cape snoek pasta paella 

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 55 min

We are a sucker for adding local flair to our favourite recipes, and this Cape snoek pasta paella is no exception! Make it as a weeknight family treat. 

INGREDIENTS
200 g chorizo
Olive oil, to fry
2 onions
1 red pepper
½ cup white wine
1 cup tinned chopped tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, chopped
250g orzo
300g snoek
3 cupschicken stock
1 cup parsley
1 tspchilli flakes, optional

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Fry the chorizo over high heat for 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Heat some oil over medium heat and fry the onions and red pepper until soft. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping all the bits from the bottom.
4. Add the chorizo, tinned tomatoes, and the garlic. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the orzo and stir well.
5. Pour the pasta into a casserole dish. Place the snoek in the middle, add the stock and give it one big stir.
6. Cover and bake for 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked, and the pasta is al dente.
7. Sprinkle with parsley and chilli flakes to serve.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography by: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

West Coast paella 

SERVEs 4–6 // COOKING TIME 20 min, plus simmering time 

It is the perfect time of year to pop some seafood on the coals, and this ocean-fresh West Coast paella will have you firing up the braai right away! What are you waiting for? 

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
150g chorizo, sliced 5 mm thick
1 onion, peeled and cut into petals
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
4 10g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar
500ml chicken stock, hot
250ml rice
500g West Coast mussels
250g prawns
250g hake, cubed
Salt and pepper
Handful parsley, chopped

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a cast-iron pan. Fry chorizo until the fat is released and the sausage is crispy.
2. Add onion, garlic, peppers and paprika. Cook for 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add tomatoes, sprinkle with sugar, and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the stock and rice to the pan and cover with a lid or foil. Simmer until most of the stock has been absorbed and the rice is almost tender.
4. Add the mussels, prawns, and hake. Cover and cook for a further 5 minutes, until the mussels have opened, and the prawns have cooked through. Add a little hot water, if needed.
5. Season, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

The post 3 Delicious Paella Dishes to Make in Under an Hour appeared first on MyKitchen.

Following his foray into Italy, editor Chad January  keeps it continental with his fresh take on several of Spain’s most iconic dishes. 

Valencian-style paella
Serves 6-8 • Total Time 1 Hour

Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN AND CHORIZO
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chicken thighs, skin on 8
Canola oil 3 tbsp
Chorizo or streaky bacon, chopped 200g

FOR THE SOFRITO
Onion, chopped 1
Garlic, chopped 3 cloves
Green pepper, chopped ½
Yellow pepper, chopped ½
Red pepper, chopped 1
Plum or salad tomatoes, chopped 5-6
Fresh rosemary and thyme few sprigs
Sugar pinch

FOR THE CHICKEN 
Chicken or fish stock 2L
Saffron pinch (optional)
Smoked paprika 3 tbsp
Short grain rice (like arborio) 3 cups
White wine ¼  cup (optional)
Prawns, defrosted and deveined 400g
Fresh mussels 200g
Fresh parsley, chopped 1 punnet
Lemon, juiced 1
Garlic, chopped 1 clove
Olive oil 2 tbsp

Did you know? Sofrito is a Spanish tomato sauce that forms the base of every good paella.  

Method
FOR THE CHICKEN AND CHORIZO  

1. Generously season the chicken. 
2. Heat the canola oil in a large ovenproof pan or skillet. 
3. Brown the chicken in batches for about 4-6 minutes or until golden. Set aside. 
4. Add the chorizo or bacon and fry for 2-3 minutes until crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.

FOR THE SOFRI 

1. Keeping the same pan on the heat, add another splash of canola oil and lower the heat. 
2. Add the peppers, onion and garlic. 
3. Cook gently in the pan for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly. 
4. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme and sugar to the pan. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

FOR THE RICE  

1. While the sofrito cooks, heat the stock and saffron (if using) together in a small pot and cover to infuse. 
2. Add the paprika and rice to the sofrito and cook for a few minutes. Keep stirring until the rice starts to toast and pop in the pan. 
3. Deglaze the pan with the wine (if using) and scrape off the bits of food that have caught on the bottom.  
4. Ladle 3/4 of the stock into the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly. 
5. Nestle the chicken in the rice, pour over the remaining stock and cook for another 15-20 minutes while stirring regularly, or until 3/4 of the liquid has been absorbed. 
6. Stir through the prawns and mussels. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until the seafood and chicken are well cooked through. 
7. Remove from heat and stir through the parsley, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Set aside. 8. Just before serving, get started ‘1 on making the soccarat. Place the pan of paella over high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the rice sizzles and creates a crust at the bottom. 9. Serve with parsley, lemon wedges, aioli and crusty bread. 

Did you know? Soccarat is the crispy crust of rice formed on the bottom of the paella at the end of cooking  

CUT THE COST  

– Swap out prawns and mussels for defrosted marinara mix. 
– Don’t have smoked paprika? Use regular paprika instead.
– Use regular mayonnaise instead of making aioli. 
– Swap out wine for stock. 
– Can’t find chorizo or streaky bacon? Use sliced pork bangers or bacon bits. 
– Replace saffron with ground turmeric. It will give the paella its iconic yellow colour.   

Photography: Zhann Solomons 

The post Making Paella The Spanish Way 101 appeared first on MyKitchen.