Paella

One of the most well known dishes of Spain is the Paella (The double ll is pronounce ¡d like a Y not like an L -( pie-ayer ). It is not specifically a Catalan dish, but is still very popular here, especially with visitors. There are many types - with seafood (Mariscos) , meat and mixed, but obviously my preferred one is a vegetable one.

There are many recipes on the net, but this is how I make the TulStig version of paella, basically rice and vegaetables:

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 4 cloves garlic chopped(you can add more or less depending on how much you like garlic)

• 4 button mushrooms, quartered

• 1 green and 1 red pepper, cored and diced

• 1 handful of peas (frozen are fine)

• A few florets of cauliflower and broccoli

• one carrot, chopped

• a stick of celery, chopped

• a few greeen beans, chopped

• 2 tomatoes, chopped

• 1 teaspoon marmite (optional, I know some of you aren't fans)

• 2 teaspoons of soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon of paprika

• approx 800ml of vegetable stock. (I like to half and half this with some red wine which really gives the 'sauce' body.

• ground black pepper to your taste (I like a lot)

• 250-300g any long or short grain rice

I usually use whatever vegetables I have in the fridge/freezer, there is no hard and fast rule - use what you like and don't use veggies you don't like.

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan ( a special paella pan is not necessary)

2. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.

3. Then add the peppers and mushrooms, stir in, and cook for a few more minutes.

4. Gradually add all the other veggies.

5. Mix the tomatoes and paprika and add, stir

6. Mix the marmite in the stock and add that too and stir

7. Sprinkle the rice over the top and stir in, (if all the rice doesn't fit without overflowing the pan, don't worry, leave it aside, who needs a muckier than necessary cooker? )

8. Stir the rice in and allow to absorb the liquid. Stir the mix and test the rice now and again until it is cooked. You may need to add some more water, or stock. BY the time the rice is cooked the veggies should also be perfect.

9. Serve with a crusty loaf, and of course a glass of cava.

This is seriously good and can be served straight away, but is just as good cold. Beleive it or not I even like it in a crusty bread sandwich.

Here's the one I had the other night..