Sucker for a taste of Spain

There are so many places in the world where I would settle down to live but if it was just based on food- the top 4 places: France, Italy, Mexico and of course, Spain.

Two days ago I happened to stumble upon the General Trader in sale mode (well, that's what I tell my husband anyway!) and found a $20 paella pan. No excuse now, Paella for dinner!

The interesting thing about a Paella pan is that you have to "break it in", by doing this you basically have to get a steelo, scrub the bejebus out of it and then heat it up on the stove, letting the pan go black. Cool it down a bit and then using a paper towel with some oil on it you then rub it into the pan. Heat it up again, with a new paper towel wipe it and repeat the oiling and wiping until there is no more black residue showing on your paper towels. Your paella pan is now ready!
(NB: once you have completed your cooking, wash up the pan, then to dry, heat the paella pan, oil and wipe again. If you just dry it with a tea towel, the paella pan will rust)

Recipe 51: Chicken Paella

Serves 4 – 6
Variety of colourful fresh vegetables of your choice; broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, red capsicum, mushrooms, sweet potato, corn
¼ cup olive oil
500g chicken thighs (or breast meat), cut into strips
50g mild Salami, cut into strips *optional*
1 large onion, chopped
1 capsicum, cut into strips
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika 
1½ cups short grain rice
3 – 4 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp saffron threads, (soak for 10 minutes in 1 tbs hot water)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 – 3 chillies 

Method 

1. Heat oil and fry chicken until cooked, put cooked chicken in a bowl and set aside. 
2. Add slightly more oil to the paella pan and aauté onion, capsicum & garlic until tender
3. Add tomatoes & paprika, cook until tomato is pulpy.
4. Add rice; stir until well combined with tomato mixture.
5. Add stock a little at a time and allow to absorb
6. Stir in saffron, pepper, tomato paste, chillies, chicken and salami strips (if using), if needed add more stock so its nice and moist
7. Arrange vegetables decoratively on top
8. Heat at 180c until rice is light and fluffy & vegetables are cooked through. (around 20 mins)
9. Serve with green or tossed salad.

The great thing about this was just as I was taking it out of the oven, two of our friends popped around for a couple of beers. The paella went down a treat and my husband enjoyed the leftovers the next day with a bit of toasted bread and a smattering of cheese.