Recipe Paella de pollo con chorizo ( Chicken & chorizo paella)

Serves 2

200gm risotto rice, Arborio or Vialone Nano
300gm boned skinless chicken, cut into 2cm chunks
150gm chorizo sausages, skinned & cut into chunks
1 large Spanish onion, peeled & cut into 12 wedges
1 red pepper, cored, de-seeded & cut into 12 stripes
60gm sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
50gm pitted green olives
3tb extra virgin olive oil
500ml fresh chicken stock
a generous pinch of saffron threads
crushed sea salt & ground black pepper

Heat 2tb of the olive oil in a large deep-sided pan and fry the chicken over a medium heat, just long enough for it to turn opaque without browning and transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Meanwhile gently heat the chicken stock, crush the saffron in a pestle & mortar with a couple of tablespoons of the heated stock until dissolved, mix back into the stock and keep warm over a low heat.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and when heated add the peppers & onion wedges, fry stirring frequently for 5 minutes before adding the chorizo. Continue to fry & stir for another 10 minutes by which time the onions & peppers will have softened and slightly caramelised in the paprika tinted oil.

Add the rice and stir briefly till coated & glossy with the oil, before adding the chicken, olives & sun-dried tomatoes, pour in the stock, season with a little salt, a generous grinding of black pepper and simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

The rice should be cooked through by the time it has absorbed most of the liquid, the finished paella should be slightly moist so add more stock or boiling water if it gets too dry.

Serve on its own or with an orange & tomato salad on the side, peel two oranges with a knife cutting away all the pith along with the rind, cut them and a couple of large tomatoes into chunks and dress with a sharp vinaigrette laced with some Dijon mustard.