Enjoy this recipe and use the chance to turn the process into a social ritual
step by step
- Cut the vegetables up into cubes and prepare the seafood, separating the prawns, shrimps or Dublin Bay Pawns from the rest.
- Pour the oil onto the paella pan and turn on the cooker.
- When it's hot, sauté the garlic and onion in the paella pan and then put in the rest of the vegetables for 5 minutes. Then, put in all the seafood, except the prawns, and stir for 2 more minutes.
- Put in the fish broth with the saffron and salt. If there's not enough broth to finish off the paella add a little more broth or water. But, make sure to keep the proportion of 1 part rice to 2 parts water as much as you can.
- Put in the rice and boil at maximum heat for around 5 minutes. Then lower the heat to medium so it can cook for 20 minutes. Wait for it to evaporate a little and add the prawns. They should be half submerged in the water.
- When it's done, cover the rice for 5 minutes with a cotton cloth before serving. That will help the rice breathe.
TRICKS FOR RICE
With this recipe, you shouldn't touch or stir the rice after it's first tossed into the paella pan. It's also important to use well distributed heat as much as possible and measure the amount of salt as you go.
After it's done, don't forget to cover the paella pan with a cloth. The water should have evaporated and the rice should be loose without being dry.
SAVE THE RICE TO USE AGAIN
They usually say rice is even better the day after than fresh made rice, because it's been left to sit. Having a small container so you can have some more another day is always nice.
Here are some ideas for container that will help you with that. Remember to put the left overs in the refrigerator and that you shouldn't keep them for more than 2 or 3 days.
UTENSILS YOU CAN'T DO WITHOUT
There are a few basic items you can't do without for this recipe, like a paella pan and some spatulas. You'll also need some cutting and chopping utensils for the preparation process, like knives, scissors and cutting boards.
In addition to that you'll need a few containers, like bowls or trays, to store the ingredients (vegetables on one side, seafood on the other), so they're handy and properly prepared when you put them in the paella pan.
