Paella
Paella is a traditional Spanish dish made with round rice, associated mainly with the Valencia region. The name comes from the large two-handled pan in which it is traditionally prepared. This is an adapted version with a mix of meat, vegetables and shellfish.
350 K 4.2/5 (56 reviews)
2 hours 60 min.
Easy
12 people
16 IngredientsLast modified on: February 21th 2011
For 12 people, you will need:
- 1
8 tomatoes - 2
2 onions - 3
6 cloves garlic - 4
8 chicken breasts - 5
1 Chorizo - 6
½ cauliflower - 7
1 1⁄3 cup peas - 8
2 cups + 2 tablespoons mussels - 9
2 cups + 2 tablespoons prawns - 10
6 tablespoons olive oil - 11 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 12
4 2⁄3 cups rice - 13
8 ½ cups water - 14
4 chicken stock cubes - 15
8 pinches saffron - 16
2 lemons
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 1 hour 30 min.
Cooking: 1 hour 35 min.
All in all: 2 hours 60 min.
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: 16:35.Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 2 - 10 min.
Stage 3 - 10 min.
Cut 8 chicken breasts into pieces and slice 1 Chorizo (tip: remove skin from chorizo before cutting, then the skin will not shrivel and spoil the appearence during cooking).
Stage 4 - 5 min.
Prepare ½ cauliflower.
Stage 5 - 5 min.
Prepare 1 1⁄3 cup peas.
Stage 6 - 5 min.
Wash and scrape 2 cups + 2 tablespoons mussels.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Wash 2 cups + 2 tablespoons prawns.
Stage 8 - 3 min.
Put a large pan on high heat (even better, use a real paella pan if you can), and pour in 6 tablespoons olive oil. When really hot, tip in mussels all at once.
Stage 9 - 1 min.
They will spit, so cover pan with a sheet of aluminium foil.
Stage 10 - 3 min.
Cook like this for 2 or 3 minutes until the mussels open.
Remove from the heat, and lift out mussels with a skimmer. Set aside.
Remove from the heat, and lift out mussels with a skimmer. Set aside.
Stage 11 - 3 min.
Put the pan back on high heat and cook prawns 2 or 3 minutes on each side.
Stage 12 - 2 min.
Remove pan from heat, and lift out prawns with a skimmer and set aside.
Stage 13 - 3 min.
Empty remaining cooking juices out of the pan, then pour in 6 tablespoons olive oil and put back on high heat.
Add sliced chorizo and lightly brown 2 or 3 minutes.
Add sliced chorizo and lightly brown 2 or 3 minutes.
Stage 14 - 15 min.
Stage 15 - 3 min.
Add onion and garlic to remaining cooking fat, season, stir well and cook 2 or 3 minutes.
Stage 16 - 5 min.
Tip in 4 2⁄3 cups rice and stir well until "pearled", as for pilau rice.
Stage 17 - 2 min.
Add diced tomatoes, stir well.
Stage 18 - 3 min.
Then add chicken and chorizo, plus any juices that may have drained out while waiting, it all helps add flavour.
Stage 19 - 1 hour
Add 8 ½ cups water mixed with 4 chicken stock cubes, then 8 pinches saffron and stir thoroughly. Add cauliflower florets, season and stir again.
Turn down the heat, cover again with aluminium foil and leave to cook gently for about 1 hour, stirring from time to time.
Turn down the heat, cover again with aluminium foil and leave to cook gently for about 1 hour, stirring from time to time.
Stage 20 - 15 min.
Meanwhile, shell mussels and peel prawns.
Stage 21 - 5 min.
5 minutes before serving, add peas, mussels and prawns, and squeeze 2 lemons over.
Stir again and leave to cook a further 5 minutes. Check seasoning. To serve, take the pan to the table so that guests can help themselves, and come back for more.
Stir again and leave to cook a further 5 minutes. Check seasoning. To serve, take the pan to the table so that guests can help themselves, and come back for more.
Remarks
To get closer to the "true" paella, I encourage you to use round Spanish rice rather than classic long grain.
Paella is one of those dishes that gets better each time you reheat it, so don't hesitate to make plenty at a time. It freezes very well.
It's important, in my opinion, that all the elements of a paella should be ready to eat, so no mussels, prawns or scampi still in their shells, or chicken with skin or bones. It takes longer, no doubt getting away from the true paella, but it's much more enjoyable to eat.
Paella is one of those dishes that gets better each time you reheat it, so don't hesitate to make plenty at a time. It freezes very well.
It's important, in my opinion, that all the elements of a paella should be ready to eat, so no mussels, prawns or scampi still in their shells, or chicken with skin or bones. It takes longer, no doubt getting away from the true paella, but it's much more enjoyable to eat.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 730 RDI=280 % | 370 RDI=40 % | 450 RDI=70 % | 8,420 RDI=420 % | 35,250 RDI: 420 % |
| Per 100 g | 8 RDI=3 % | 4 RDI=0 % | 5 RDI=1 % | 100 RDI=5 % | 400 RDI: 5 % |
| Per person | 60 RDI=20 % | 30 RDI=3 % | 40 RDI=6 % | 700 RDI=40 % | 2,940 RDI: 40 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 12 people : 44.30 €
- Per person : 3.70 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Water
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Rice
Like these other recipes: Canadian rice pudding, Chocolate rice pudding, Indian rice pudding, Chantilly rice pudding, Koulibiak in pie dish, ... See them all 21
Prawns
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Mussels
Like these other recipes: Mussels marinière, Paimpol salad, Quiche Bretonne, Normandy seafood stew, Mussels with arroz negro, ... See them all 10
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