One of my favourite traditional Spanish dishes is Paella. It's quick and easy to cook and very versatile. Even my dad could make this and he's been banned from the kitchen at home for many years as beans on toast tests his cooking abilities to the max. The basic recipe is onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, rice and stock the rest is down to taste. In the recipe below we use Chorizo and Prawns but Chicken and Chorizo or Chicken and Clams, Prawn and Clams are equally as good.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 large red pepper cored deseeded and diced
1 large green pepper cored deseeded and diced
2 large garlic cloves crushed
1 large bull tomato chopped
200g rice
salt and pepper to season
250g chorizo sausage, sliced, casings removed
450ml vegetable, fish or chicken stock (I prefer to use homemade chicken stock)
500g uncooked prawns
fresh parsley and lemon to garnish

1. Heat the oil in large lidded pan over a medium-high heat. Add onion and peppers. Fry for 3 minutes. Add garlic continue frying for 3 minutes or until onion and peppers are soft but not brown.

2. Add the tomato, rice and salt and pepper to taste and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

3. Stir in Chorizo then the stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for at least 15mins until rice is tender but still moist.

4. Stir in prawns cover and cook for 5 mins until they have turned pink and all the liquid is absorbed. If the rice remains moist simmer for 2 more mins uncovered (For the final few minutes be careful not to burn the Paella, stir frequently as the liquid reduces)

5. Taste adjust with seasoning and add garnish with parsley and a quarter of lemon.

6. Enjoy!!!!

Note. If you use chicken dice it up and fry it for a few minutes before adding it to the Paella. Add it in at step 4. Clams can be added at step 3.

The Spanish use an orange food colouring to give the Paella its classic look. Add a good sprinkling of this at step 3.

Claire and I enjoy a good Rioja wine with our Paella.

So gents, if you want to impress the ladies with your cooking skills give this quick and easy Paella recipe a go. You are sure to impress.

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