Pepper & Tomato Paella

For this recipe, I credit both the Moro books, and Rick Stein's recipes for Paella. Before reading both these authors, I was more than a little nervous of cooking Paella; worried I didn't have the right pan and equally worried that if I didn't cook it for 100 people on the streets of Barcelona in an enormous (special) pan (a la Jamie on TV) the whole thing would be thoroughly inauthentic and disastrous. Absolutely not so.... This recipe is dead easy to prepare and cook - and works perfectly well in a normal frying pan (the sort we all own). Don't be fearful - cook Paella the minute you read this - you won't look back; it is the perfect supper dish for rice.

Ingredients

  • 3 Red or Orange Peppers
  • 1 large Onion (or 2 smaller)
  • 8 Cherry Tomatoes
  • 4 – 6 cloves Garlic
  • 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 250g Bomba Paella Rice
  • 750g Chicken or Veg Stock
  • Small glass White Wine
  • Handful of Spinach
  • Lemon or Lime to serve

Finely slice the Onion and the Pepper

Crush the Garlic and halve the Cherry Tomatoes

Heat a 30cm (or so) frying pan with a good drizzle of Olive Oil – and over a low heat fry the Peppers and Onions with a small sprinkle of Salt.  Take your time frying them – everyone who writes about Paella says that the knack of a good one is getting lots of flavour into it at this stage!  After 15 minutes or so (maybe 20 minutes; the Peppers and Onions should be really soft and sweet), add the crushed Garlic and the Smoked Paprika.  Keep cooking for a few minutes before adding the White Wine and cooking the alcohol off.  Now add the Cherry Tomatoes, and either carry on to make the Paella, or set the Pepper mixture aside until you are nearly ready to eat (this element of the dish can be prepared in advance)

When ready to eat, heat the Pepper mixture again – add a small dash of White Wine, and the Bomba Rice.  Stir, add the Stock and bring up to the boil before leaving to cook on a medium heat for 7 or 8 minutes.  Don’t stir during this time, but after 8 mins, give the pan a good shake.  Cook again for 7 or 8 minutes and test the Rice.  It should be pretty cooked, but could have a few more minutes if you think the rice is too al dente

When you think it is done – leave it to sit for a few minutes (maybe 5?!) and then serve immediately, stirring a handful of chopped Spinach and Parsley through it first, and adding a large wedge of Lemon or Lime to each plate.  The bottom of the Paella should be a little crunchy, while the top of the Rice dish will be creamy and delicious

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