I recently had the chance to read a lovely book called The Sausage Book. I do love a no nonsense cookbook that a simple man like me can follow! The following recipe if reproduced with the kind permission of the publishers. Every time I think of the smells of this wonderful and yet simple dish I feel famished!
This dish is scented with saffron and has a rich, smoky tomato flavour. Have a go at making the fresh chorizo shown on page 17, or even the cured version shown on pages 18–19, which can also be used for this recipe. Both have a depth of flavour that really adds savour to this dish. But shop-bought chorizo will be delicious here, too. Don’t worry if you don’t have a paella pan – use a large wok instead.
SERVES 4
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 shallots or 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 fresh or cured chorizo (120–150g), sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Spanish pimenton
250g paella rice
700ml chicken stock
pinch of saffron
4 tomatoes, chopped
250g baby squid (available ready cleaned from most supermarkets)
250g large raw prawns
small bunch of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped.
Fry the garlic, shallots and chorizo in the olive oil over moderate heat
for at least five minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the pimenton and rice. Keep the pan on the heat and ‘toast’ the
rice for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn’t stick.
Add half the stock, the saffron and the tomatoes and cook gently until
the liquid has been taken up by the rice. Add the rest of the stock and,
once it has come to the boil, add the squid and shrimp.
Simmer the rice until al dente, stir in the parsley and serve.