Paella

(pron: pay-ay-ya)

Paella probably has its origins in a Moorish rice pilaff, introduced during the long Moorish occupation of Spain. Even the name Andalucia is Arabic in origin. However, in style and flavour paella is unmistakably Spanish, and in my opinion perhaps the best rice dish in the world.

If you love paella, it is well worth investing in a good quality paella pan, which you will be able to find in the kitchen section of good department stores - or do a web search for one and buy it online. A large frying pan or a wok are good alternatives.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
4 tbsp olive oil
Half a medium Spanish onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 rasher of belly pork, skinned and cut into small pieces
2 chicken thighs, skinned and boned and cut into small pieces
2 cups of paella rice
A pinch of real saffron
1 cup of frozen peas or trimmed fresh mange-tout
Half a red pepper, roughly chopped
Half a litre of fish stock
200g mixed fish pieces (hake, cod and salmon are great)
100g large peeled prawns
100g prepared squid
Chopped parsley for garnish

Method:
Heat the oil in a paella pan and add the onion, garlic, chicken and pork. Stir and fry to seal the meat and flavour the oil.
Add the dry rice and stir to coat each grain in the oil.
Add the saffron.
Add half of the fish stock and bring the pan to a fast simmer for 10 minutes, adding more stock as necessary to keep the pan bubbling away.
Stirring is unnecessary, but you may just wish to turn the ingredients in the pan occasionally.
Add the peas/mange-tout and peppers and return the pan to a fast simmer.
You need to stay with the pan and watch closely as the rice begins to cook through, testing a few grains - until it reaches an al-dente texture.
Add all the fish, squid and prawns, arranging it evenly over the rice.
Add more water or stock if necessary, but don't overdo it - you want the rice to absorb the last of the liquid as the fish cooks.
Turn the heat down very low and cover the pan loosely with foil. Leave like this until the rice is perfect.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Enjoy!

Welsh Cakes

Welsh cakes are simple to make and have a wonderful taste which belies the simplicity of their ingredients. The cakes are cooked on a flat griddle, and not inside the oven.

Ingredients:

225g/8oz self-raising flour, sieved

110g/4oz (preferably Welsh) salted butter 

1 egg

handful of sultanas 

milk, if needed

85g/3oz caster sugar

extra butter, for greasing

Method:

1. Rub the butter into the sieved flour to make breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, dried fruit and then the egg. Mix to combine, then form a ball of dough, using a splash of milk if needed.

2. Roll out the pastry until it is a 5mm/¼in thick and cut into rounds with a 7.5-10cm/3-4in fluted cutter.

3. You now need a bake stone or a heavy iron griddle. Rub it with butter and wipe the excess away. Put it on to a direct heat and wait until it heats up, place the Welsh cakes on the griddle, turning once. They need about2-3 minutes each side. Each side needs to be caramel brown before turning although some people I know like them almost burnt.

4. Remove from the pan and dust with caster sugar while still warm. Some people leave out the dried fruit, and split them when cool and sandwich them together with jam.

Steamed Vegetable Rice

Versions of this simple dish are legion; from pilau rice and pilafs to rissottos and paellas - the list is almost endless. This recipe is quick, easy and delicious and can be used as an accompanyment to stir fries, fricassees, curries and stews.

The choice of vegetables can be arbitary, but onions and garlic should always be used. Use whatever fresh or frozen vegetables you have to hand. Saffron adds a touch of luxury with its lovely yellow colour and delicate fragrance.

Ingredients:

1 med onion, chopped finely.

2 cloves garlic, crushed.

1 tbsp cooking oil.

2 cups of roughly chopped vegetables. I often use carrots, celery and cauliflower.

2 cups of dry, long grain rice. Basmati and Thai fragrant rice are best, but American long grain is good too. Try to avoid the quick-cook varieties - they taste awful. You can also use coarse cracked bulgur wheat for a nutty, Arabic taste.

3 cups of vegetable stock.

Pinch of saffron.

Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Optional Garnish:

Any combination of the following: Roasted cashews and pine kernels. Chopped fresh parsley, coriander or methi (fenugreek) leaves. Quartered hard-boiled eggs. Hot, flaked smoked haddock. Chopped spring onions. Dried fruit. Unsalted butter.

Method:

Use a good quality heavy-based pan with a heavy, tight-fitting lid. Heat the oil until hot and add the onion and garlic. Stir and fry for a few seconds to relax the onion mix. Add the dry rice and stir to ensure all the rice is coated with oil. Add the chopped veg, stock and saffron, a pinch of salt and a twist of pepper. Cover with the lid and bring to a rapid boil, so that steam vapour escapes from beneath the lid. DO NOT REMOVE THE LID steam is needed to cook the rice properly. Removing the lid will ruin the dish. Reduce to a very low simmer for 5 minutes and turn the heat off completely; the rice will continue to cook in the retiring heat of the saucepan - so don't be tempted to peek under the lid! Allow to stand covered for 10 minutes before removing the lid. Stir to mix the ingredients. Decant to a suitable serving platter or dish, season and garnish. Serves 4.

Note:

Cooking rice in the retiring heat of the pan has a wonderful effect on the texture of the finished rice; making it light and yielding in texture. 

Meaty Option:

Stir fry any combination of lean chicken, pork, beef or even chorizo in with the onions and garlic. Serve with a rich meaty gravy or a sweet chilli sauce.

Trinidad Doubles

This is a favourite in Trinidad, where street vendors compete fiercely to make the best. Doubles are cheap to make and very, very good. Classic Trini Doubles consists of curried channa (chick peas) between two Baras (a type of bread), garnished with mango chutney, tamarind chutney and hot pepper sauce.

Dough for Bara

2 cups flour

½ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Saffron powder

½ tsp. Ground cumin (jeera)

1 tsp yeast

1/3-cup warm water

¼ tsp. Sugar

Oil for frying

Additional water

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, saffron and cumin (jeera). Put aside. In another bowl place warm water, sugar and yeast. Let sit for about 5 min. until the yeast and sugar are dissolved. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture with enough water to make slightly firm dough. Mix well. Cover and let rise for about 1-½ hours. Punch the dough down and let it sit for another 10 – 15 min.

To shape Bara, take about 1 tbsp of dough, pat with both hands to flatten to a 5”circle. If dough sticks to hand moisten palms with some water. Fry in hot oil, turning once until cooked. Remove and drain on a paper towel.

Channa Filling

½ lb dried channa (chick peas) soaked overnight

1 ½ tbsp. Curry powder

3 cloves garlic, minced/crushed

1 onion (sliced)

Salt to taste

Hot pepper to taste

1 tbsp. Corn oil

Pinch of ground jeera (cumin powder)

Pepper Sauce (to taste)

Boil soaked channa (chick peas) with salt and ½ tbsp curry powder until channa is tender. Drain. Mix 1 tbsp curry powder with ¼ cup water. Heat oil in a large skillet and add the garlic, onion, and curry powder mixture. Sauté for a few min. Add the channa. Stir to coat well with the curry mixture and cook for about 5 min. Add 1-cup water, jeera (cumin), salt, and pepper. Cover, lower heat and let simmer until the peas are very soft. Add more water if you need. Channa should be soft and moist. Add more salt if needed.

Finishing – Putting the two together

Put about 2 tbsp. cooked curry channa on a Bara. Cover with another Bara. You can also add mango chutney, tamarind chutney or pepper sauce before putting the second Bara on top.

ENJOY!!!!