Foolproof Fish by Libby Silbermann (Quadrille, £12.99) Photography ©Rita Platts
Seafood Orzo Paella with Saffron & Herbs
Paella is perfect for a crowd and looks wonderful with its vibrant colours and seafood
This version uses orzo instead of traditional paella rice, which is a small pasta that soaks up all the tomato sauce and juices. If using clams here, soak them for 20 minutes in cold water before adding them to the orzo.
Serves
6
Cooking time
25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 60g chorizo, diced
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 250ml white wine
- pinch of saffron
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 500ml chicken stock
- 350g orzo
- 200g either mussels or clams (or a mixture), scrubbed and debearded
- 12 shell-on prawns
- 180g squid, cut into rings and tentacles kept whole
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 15g flat-leaf parsley and dill, chopped
Method
- In a large, wide, lidded frying pan set over a medium heat, pour in the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and a pinch of salt and fry off for five minutes until it is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and chorizo and fry for a further two minutes until the chorizo starts to crisp up.
- Next add the tomato purée and stir it through, followed by the wine, saffron, smoked paprika and chicken stock. Bring the liquid up to the boil and then add the orzo. Let the orzo cook for six minutes, until nearly cooked, then add the mussels or clams. Place the lid on the pan and let them steam for three minutes. After this time, they should be open, and the insides cooked (discard any that have not opened). Now add the prawns (shrimp) and squid and let them bubble in the paella for one to two minutes.
- Squeeze over the lemon juice and garnish with the fresh herbs. Bring the whole, impressive-looking pan to the table and serve up.
Foolproof Fish by Libby Silbermann (Quadrille, £12.99) Photography ©Rita Platts
