I adapted this recipe from Epicurious.com, which I have as an app on my iPhone. It's fantastic that I no longer have to write my shopping list on scraps of paper (which I always inevitably leave in the hallway when I go to the supermarket).
Best of all, unlike Jamie Oliver's app Epicurious is FREE! Go check it out. It's a great app and the recipes WORK.
RICE IS NICE
I love paella - the fantastic kaleidoscope of colours, the intoxicating aromas (especially saffron), the communal nature of eating it... And really, who could resist slightly mushy rice? Yum, yum, yum.
Earlier this week, I had some chorizo and peppers in the fridge alongside some frozen peas in the freezer, so I decided to do a quick version of the famous Spanish rice dish.
Here goes!
First, brown some sliced chorizo in a paella pan for about 1 minute, then add one onion (chopped), two bell peppers and garlic. Let it cook for about 3 minutes.
Then, add the rice (I used paella but arborio will do as well), saffron, and bay leaves, stir to combine and coat the rice. Add four cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Add roast chicken (I just bought one ready cooked from the supermarket, ate the wings of course, and used the rest of the meat!), frozen peas, and tomatoes; stir to combine.
The recipe called for the skillet to be transferred to a pre-heated oven, but as I was using the Real Thing (a paella pan albeit teflon-coated), I kept it on the stove to cook uncovered, stirring every five minutes.
As I was engrossed in a Brothers & Sisters episode, I allowed the rice to get a little dry at one point...Oops! I quickly added more chicken stock - thankfully, the end result came out just right.
Morale of the story? Watch catchup TV on your iPhone IN THE KITCHEN. That way, you can watch over your food at the same time!
