Ingredients

Method

• 400 g chorizo
• 4 T olive oil
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 sweet peppers, thinly sliced
• 400 g risotto rice
• 1 cup beer
• 1 x 400 g can whole peeled tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken, fish or vegetable stock
• ½ t cayenne pepper
• 1 kg tightly closed fresh mussels, cleaned
• 300–400 g medium prawns, deveined
• 1 x 170 g punnet Woolworths spicy calamari rings
• 80 g sugar snap peas
• 80 g baby corn
• fresh coriander, to garnish

Method

Ingredients

In a large paella pan or suitable large, heavy pan, brown the chorizo in 1 T olive oil, then remove and set aside.

Reduce the heat and pour a thin film of olive oil into the pan. Add the onions and cook gently until softened. Stir in the garlic. Add the peppers and cook gently until softened, adding more oil if necessary.

Add the rice and stir for a few minutes, then pour in the beer and stir until absorbed.

Blend the tomatoes with 2 cups stock. Pour in 1½ cups of this stock, then bring to a bubble. Add the cayenne pepper and stir until the liquid has been absorbed. Pour in the remaining tomato stock.

Stir in the chorizo and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, adding more stock if necessary. Add the mussels and cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until the mussels have started to open.

Add the prawns, calamari, peas and corn. Pour in more stock.

Cover and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until all is just cooked and the mussels have opened (discard any that do not open). Add more stock at any stage if necessary. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed. Serve hot, or at room temperature, garnished with coriander.

Cook's note: A Mexican paella is spicier and soupier than a Spanish version. It doesn’t use saffron, and uses fresh chorizo and beer instead of wine. Though parboiled white rice is usually used, I’ve stuck to risotto rice, which I love.

Browse more paella recipes here.