Paella Please

[saucisson]

BBQer is talking Fahrenheit so that's 107-121 degrees centigrade, just above boiling.

Dave

[Wohoki]

Jalapenos stuffed with sausage and bacon sounds good (there should be a drooling smilie)

[moggy]

BBQer is talking Fahrenheit so that's 107-121 degrees centigrade, just above boiling.

Dave

OK, with you now.

[BBQer]

Sorry about that. I was going to add the "F" after the temp. I forgot.

[Fallow Buck]

Wiz,

I'm in the process of running down my game stocks too at the moment.

I have a couple f Hares that I would lie to make stifado with but it isn't really the time of year for it at the moment. We ate all the partridge and pigeon last week and I have a bag of pheasant thighs that I think will go in the BBQ with some sticky sauce next week. I don't know what my shopping bill would be if I had to go out and buy all the wild meat we eat!

The thing is that the freezer never seems to go downand the fallow season opens in a three weeks!!

FB

Are your pheasant thighs off cocks, hens, or a mixture of both?

Pete, Generally they are a mixture. It depends on what I get left with at the end of the day. There will probably me more Cock bird there though as I tend to keep the hens for roasting.

FB

[hmmm sausages]

back to paella.....

Can anyone help me, are there any guidelines for amount of rice to water? or it is put enough in so its cooked and looks about right? I got my paella pan today nd want to crack on with making one tomorrow

Cheers

[Paul Kribs]

hmmm sausages

Don't go too heavy with the rice, remember that the moisture is evaporating all the time it is cooking, ie. no lid. It pays to have some hot stock or water on standby.

Regards, Paul Kribs

[welsh wizard]

Hi HmmmmmmmmS

I have tried cooking it with water, wine and with fish stock. The best way I have found is a mixture of fish stock (cube will do if nothing else) and wine into which you have soaked a little saffron.

Ref Stock - morrissions sell fish trimmings for not a lot. Get a load, make your stock, reduce it, and freeze in an ice cube tray. take out what you want and just add water - excellent!

Cheers Whizzzzzzzzzz

[saucisson]

Generally I start with a small amount of stock and keep ladling it in as required, a bit like risotto but with no stirring. The process is described well in this Mary Cadogan recipe,:

Paella on the barbecue
by Good Food Magazine
Serves 6

Preparation time 30 mins to 1 hour

Cooking time 10 to 30 mins

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped in small dice
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
450g/1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut in cubes
450g/1lb ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped
200g/8oz green beans, trimmed and cut in half
large handful parsley, chopped roughly
good pinch saffron threads
2L/3�pt vegetable or chicken stock
4 tbsp olive oil
100g/3�oz chorizo sausage, sliced thinly
2tsp paprika
450g/1lb short grain rice, such as calasparra or arborio
300g/12oz large raw prawns in shells
fat lemon wedges, to serve

Method
1. Put the saffron in a saucepan with the stock and bring to a simmer.
2. Set the paella pan on the barbecue grid and heat half the oil.
3. Add the chorizo and fry quickly, turning the pieces until they are crisp and slightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the remaining oil to the pan, then add the chicken and fry quickly, stirring, until lightly coloured. Stir in the onion and garlic and fry, stirring for 3-4 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomatoes and pepper. Season, then add the beans and paprika and stir well. Sprinkle in the rice, stirring until the grains begin to soak up the oil.
6. Add two ladlefuls of hot stock. When it starts to bubble and soak into the rice, add more, stirring well. Continue adding stock and stirring for about 15 minutes, until the rice is just tender. Return the chorizo to the pan and add the prawns.
7. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the prawns turn pink. Season to taste. Remove the paella from the heat and cover the pan with foil. Leave for 5 minutes to cool slightly, then stir in the parsley. Serve each portion with fat wedges of lemon

[hmmm sausages]

Cheers for the advice

First paella has now been made and it was.......average.......It needed slightly more seasoning, and I added a little too much fluid just at the end, but thats cus i was too busy shelling the prawns i didnt notice had legs and shells! DOH! BUT that said, it was pretty tasty and all went so not bad, next time, it will be perfect.... well MORE perfect anyway

[hmmm sausages]

Oh and are you not supposed to stir it? oops

[saucisson]

Don't feel bad about it Next time bung the prawns on shells and all and let the guests peel them. If you watch a video of a 12 foot wide paella being made they stir it a lot, stirring is allowed to stop it sticking, I just meant you don't deliberately stir it all the time to get it like a risotto. Sounds like you did well, what did you put in it?

I appreciate "no stirring" sounds exactly like "no stirring" (my apologies) I should have said "no extra stirring"

Dave

[hmmm sausages]

i used, chicken thigh (chopped), chorizo, peppers, chillis, onion, prawns, squid, and the odd bit of herbs spices etc

was quite tasty but i think less stirring required lol

was tasty though

[saucisson]

Oops, and I edited my "stirring" comments as you posted
I think it all still makes sense

Dave

[hmmm sausages]

yeah it does, sort of

Basically, stir to mix, then leave to cook, right? lol