Rustico at Hay Shed Hill’s Paella

Ingredients: 

• 1 12 inch paella pan
• 50ml Canola oil
• 370gm Bomba rice
• 2 packets of Saffron
• 1 tsp of ground turmeric
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp of ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground garlic
• 1 tsp ground chilli
• 150gm sliced chorizo
• 1 large fine sliced onion
• 4 sliced picquio peppers
• 12 medium prawn cutlets
• 2 sliced chicken thighs
• 300gm Barramundi fillet, cut into 2cm squares
• 14 cleaned Mussels
• 50g frozen peas
• 1 lemon
• 2 litre hot chicken stock

Method:

• In the pan, sauté on a medium low heat the chorizo slices, chilli, garlic, onion and peppers with the canola oil.
• Once sweated down, add the sliced chicken thigh, mixing well. Once cooked through add the dry ground spices and the saffron, gently roast through. Add the Bomba rice, staring well to coat all the rice evenly in the spiced oil.
• Add the prawn cutlets, seal off in the pan. Once every thing is sealed off, add 1/2 of the chicken stock, mixing evenly through the rice.
• Turn up the heat to medium high and bring to a rapid simmer, cook like this for 10 mins, staring regular to ensure it doesn’t burn under the high heat.
• Reduce to a low simmer, don’t stir any more as you want to now form a crust on the base of the pan. Push the Barramundi cube evenly spread through the pan, skin side up, allowing to gently poach in the pan.
• At this point you will be ready to add another 200-300ml of the hot chicken stock, pouring evenly into the mix. After 5 mins, push the mussels into the cooking rice mix, hinge end of the shell first, spaced evenly through the dish, allowing to steam open in the stock.
• Allow to cook for a further 8-10 mins, checking the rice, adding more stock to the mix as required and reduced. When the rice is cooked when its grains are soft and with no bite or crunch, but still firm enough that the rice still holding together.
• When at this point, don’t add any more stock, but sprinkle the pease evenly over the top of the rice, allowing to cook in the heat, whilst still being firm and bright green.
• Gently with a spoon, fluff up the rice, but cautious no to scrap the crust away from the bottom. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over the top, and season. Serve and eat immediately.