Family friendly

Traybake paella

Name: Traybake paella recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 green extra large king prawns; 1 pinch saffron threads; 20.00 ml extra virgin olive oil; 100g cured chorizo, thickly sliced; 1 eschalot, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 30.00 ml thyme leaves; 1 chicken thigh fillet, thickly sliced crossways; 200g calasparra rice (substitute arborio or other short-grain paella rice); 80ml white wine; 8 large black mussels, cleaned and debearded (we used Kinkawooka mussels); 125g frozen broad beans, peeled; Lemon wedges, to serve; 500g olive oil; 1 small onion, roughly chopped; 8 garlic cloves, halved; 1 long red chilli, sliced; 1 eschalot, roughly chopped; 120g piquillo peppers; 3 tsp caster sugar; 60ml sherry vinegar

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by Mike McEnearney

Chef and delicious. columnist

May 24, 2023

Your guests will be scraping the pan to get every morsel of this hearty take on the traditional seafood and rice favourite,

8 green extra large king prawns
1 pinch saffron threads
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
100g cured chorizo, thickly sliced
1 eschalot, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 tbs thyme leaves
1 chicken thigh fillet, thickly sliced crossways
200g calasparra rice (substitute arborio or other short-grain paella rice)
1/3 cup (80ml) white wine
8 large black mussels, cleaned and debearded (we used Kinkawooka mussels)
125g frozen broad beans, peeled
Lemon wedges, to serve

Sofrito (see note)

100ml extra virgin olive oil 2 (500g) red capsicums, rough
1 small onion, roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves, halved
1 long red chilli, sliced
1 eschalot, roughly chopped
120g piquillo peppers
3 tsp caster sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) sherry vinegar

Method

1.

To make the sofrito, heat 1/4 cup (60ml) oil in a 30cm-wide, 7cm-deep ovenproof heavy-based casserole with a lid over medium heat. Add the capsicum, onion, garlic, chilli and eschalot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes until golden and vegetables start to catch on base of pan. Keep stirring and let them caramelise a little more, then add peppers to the pan. The temperature shock will release the caramel on the base when stirred. Add sugar and stir for 2 minutes, then add vinegar to stop the cooking process. Remove from heat and add remaining 2 tbs oil. Transfer to a food processor, reserving pan, and whiz until smooth. Season.
2.

Preheat oven to 235°C/215°C fan-forced.
3.

Peel prawns, leaving tails intact. Place heads and shells in a medium saucepan with 800ml water. Bring to a simmer, and simmer for 15 minutes to get a red stock. Strain into a measuring jug. Add saffron and top up with a little water, if required, to make 650ml. Cover to keep warm.
4.

Heat oil in same casserole over medium heat. Add chorizo and fry for 30 seconds to release the red oil, then add eschalot, garlic, thyme, chicken and a pinch of salt flakes. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes to soften eschalot and lightly cook chicken. Add rice and stir for 30 seconds to coat rice in oil. Add wine and cook, stirring, until totally absorbed. Add 1/2 cup sofrito and stir to coat rice. Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add mussels and beans. Remove from heat and cover with lid. Bake in oven for 40 minutes
5.

Remove from oven (don’t be tempted to stir, as the light, caramelised crust that forms under the rice – called a soccarat – is a prized element of paella). By this time, the rice will have absorbed most of the stock, and little steam vents will form. Place prawns on top and press gently into rice. Cover and bake for 5 minutes. Check prawns, and if just cooked, remove from oven and place pan on the table, covered with a tea towel, to rest for 15 minutes. Remove tea towel and divide paella among your guests, scraping the soccarat as the trophy. Serve with lemon wedges.

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Recipe Notes

You’ll need a 30cm-wide, 7cm-deep ovenproof heavy-based casserole with a lid.

The sofrito recipe makes more than you’ll need for this dish. Store extra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. It’s delicious with eggs or as a dip. You can also freeze in 1/2-cup measures, ready for your next paella!