Ingredients
- 2 litres chicken stock
- 12-16 threads saffron
- 100ml olive oil
- 150g chorizo, sliced into 3 – 4mm thick rounds
- 6 slices pancetta or streaky belly bacon
- 1 med size onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 500g paella rice
- 500gm New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussels
- salt & freshly cracked black paper to taste
- small bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
- ½ lemon
Cooking instructions
- In a pot heat the chicken stock & infuse with the saffron.
- Bring a large frying or paella pan up to heat, add the oil to the pan & quickly add the sliced chorizo and pancetta or bacon and fry until browned and crispy*, add the onion and garlic and cook until soft.
- Add the smoked paprika, rice and two thirds of the infused stock and leave to cook on a medium to low heat, stirring from time to time.
- After 20 minutes the rice should be almost cooked. At this point, pour in the rest of the stock and add the mussels. Place a lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes more. Season to taste.
- Finally, sprinkle with chopped parsley and ½ a lemon.
This recipe serves 4-6 people.
Note: Paella rice – predominantly a short grain rice is used for this dish & most food markets would sell a paella rice, however Valencia rice or Calaspara rice are considered to be the best options.
* Quality chorizo will always drop a reddish oil into the pan when cooked – this is a good thing as it is the combination of paprika & pork fat that has rendered out of the chorizo & adds flavour to the overall dish.
Image and recipe courtesy Nurtured Seafood
