Summer Paella

Well I came across this recipe I used when I had friends around last summer. It's true to say I've had some disasters with paella in the past, turning out more like risotto. This recipe is foolproof and tastes divine!

350g paella rice
A good glug (about 2 tablespoons) of olive oil
About 1.2kg of chicken joints (I used drumsticks and thighs), skin on. (free range tastes best in this, especially corn fed)
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped into chunks
About 1/2 of a chorizo sausage in a piece, skin removed and cut into 1 cm chunks.
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed (I use 3 normally, but I like garlic)
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
About half a sachet of saffron, best way I found to get the colour out is use a pestle and mortar to grind it into dust then mix with a little bit of hot water.
1 very large red tomato skinned and roughly diced (I use those beef tomatoes)
A pack of fresh peeled uncooked king prawns (about 300g pack should do it)
A cup full of frozen peas
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Heat the oil in the pan (I use a saute pan with a lid, though you can use any large pot) over a fairly high heat. Season the chicken joints with salt and pepper the fry until golden brown, then remove them to a plate.

Next add the onion, pepper and chorizo and fry these over a medium heat for about 6 minutes, or until they're nicely tinged brown at the edges. Now add the garlic, paprika, cayenne and saffron and cook for another minute, then put the chicken to the pan, followed by the chopped tomato, plenty more salt and pepper and 2 pints of boiling water. Bring everything up to a gentle simmer, turn the heat down and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes

After that, remove the chicken pieces again, then pour the rice into the centre of the pan. Bring everything back up to the boil, give a final stir and simmer, still uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Keep shaking the pan every one and a while just to stop it sticking.

Now put the chicken along with the prawns and peas back into the pan and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes, after that just taste it to make sure the rice is cooked. If it starts to look really dry add a splash more water. After the rice has cooked, take off the heat, and place the lemon wedges on top. Cover with the pans lid (or a teacloth!) for about 5 minutes just for it to absorb the steam.

Serve!

Sunday Dinner with the family

I'm always sharing recipes with friends and family so I thought it would be a good idea to start writing my own blog about it.  At least that way I'll have all my recipes stored in one place!  


I'll try to update this as often as possible, and also provide photos with everything I do, unfortunately I've not added one for this meal.  Trust me though, it tastes delicious!


So I've just had my in-laws, David and Diane, over for the weekend.  I decided to go traditional and make Roast Lamb.  So without further ado here's my recipe:

Roast leg of lamb studded with rosemary and garlic

1 leg of lamb approximately 1.8kg in weight

3-4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

1 large sprig of rosemary

About 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 Large onion roughly chopped

Firstly preheat the oven to 220c/gas mark 7 and get a large roasting tin out (preferably one you can use on the hob).

To prepare the lamb, get a sharp knife and piece 1/2 inch holes all of the body.  Then take pieces of garlic and sprigs of rosemary and press them into the holes, until you've used all the garlic and rosemary.

Liberally apply salt and pepper all over the lamb, and rub in the olive oil so it's evenly coated.  Nestle the lamb in the roasting tin surrounded by the chopped onion.

Place onto the middle shelf of a hot oven for 20 minutes, after that reduce the temperature to 180/gas mark 4 for 1 hour 40 minutes.  Then remove and place on a warm plate for the meat to rest (you can cover this in tin foil and it'll make the meat more succulent).  All of the fat and onion at the bottom of the roasting tin can be used to make the gravy.

Red wine gravy

1 large glass of red wine

1/2 tablespoon of cornflour

1 lamb stock cube (I use Knorr)

1 pint of water

Take the used roasting tin and put it onto the hob at a medium temperature, when the oil starts fizzling for a few minutes pour in the glass of red wine.  Take a wooden spoon and mix the red wine into the fat, taking special care to scrape the scraps off the bottom of the pan (these are the best bits!). Once you've got the wine boiling, break the stock cube in, followed by the water and continue stirring.  Once the mixture has started to boil sprinkle in the cornflour and whisk to thick the consistency.  Keep this simmering for about 5 to 10 minutes, then pass the gravy through the sift to discard any lumps.  Serve hot (if it does go cold, just blast it in the microwave, that's what I do!)

Maple and cumin glazed carrots and parsnips

1 tablespoons of maple syrup

2 teaspoons of cumin seeds

1 tablespoon of olive oil

3-4 carrots

3-4 parsnips

Salt and pepper

Take a ovenproof dish and pour the oil into the bottom, place into the oven with the lamb in.  Meanwhile peel and chop the carrots and parsnips into 2-3inch long fingers.  Once the oil is hot (give it about 20 minutes) take the dish out of the oven and tip the vegetables into the dish.  Take a spoon and mix the vegetables so they get a coating of the hot oil, then pour the maple syrup, salt, pepper, and cumin seeds over, mix again.  Place into the oven for 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Buttery pesto leeks

3-4 leeks, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks

knob of butter

small cup of water

salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons of pesto

In a large pan with a tight fitting lid melt the butter over a medium hea t.  Once the butter is sizzling tip the leeks in and coat in the butter, stir in the pan until the leeks start to soften a little, then pour in the water and put on the tight fitting lid so they can steam for about 20 minutes.  Take the lid off stir and make sure the leeks are soft, then add the pesto and stir again.  Serve.

Potato Dauphinoise 

About 8 large potatoes (or 10 medium sized)

500ml cream

500ml milk

3 cloves of garlic (whole)

Handful of gruyere cheese

Peel and slice the potatoes very thinly (the easiest way is using the slicer in a food processor).  Then in a pan with a lid pour the milk, cream and garlic cloves with some salt and pepper in, bringing it all up to simmer.  Once this is simmering carefully put the potatoes into the mixture, separating them as much as possible.  Let this simmer away for about 5 min utes or until the potatoes have softened slightly.  Then using a slotted spoon take the potatoes and layer them in an ovenproof dish.  After the potatoes are layered pour over the sauce, then sprinkle on the cheese.  Put into the oven with the lamb for about 50 minutes.  Serve.