Alan’s famous better-thanhaggis paella:

Serves 6-8

YOU NEED:

• 8 cups chicken stock • a few sprigs of rosemary • a few sprigs of thyme • 4 links of chorizo, chopped • about 1kg chicken pieces • 1 large onion, diced • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 1 large bell pepper, diced • 4 plum tomatoes, diced • 10 – 15 flat green beans • ½ tin tomato paste • 15 large shrimp • ½ tsp paprika • ½ cup flatleaf parsley • 2-3 tbsp fresh thyme • 3 cups arborio rice • 1 pinch saffron • 3 lemons, quartered

1. Heat the stock with the rosemary and thyme. Keep hot, but not boiling.

2. Coat the paella pan with vegetable oil and fry the chorizo on high heat – just to brown, not to cook competely (1-2 min).

3. Brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes; set aside (it won’t be fully cooked).

4. Brown the onion, garlic and pepper until softened and the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes and green beans just before the end.

5. Push the veg to one side and add the tomato paste on the side. Caramelise 1-2 minutes until it begins to loosen.

6. Mix all the vegetables and meat with the paste, adding paprika, parsley and thyme.

7. Add the rice, mixing and stirring until it browns. Stir in the saffron.

8. When the rice is slightly translucent, add enough chicken stock to cover the whole mixture.

9. When it boils (almost immediately), reduce the heat to medium, but keep at a steady boil.

10. Stir a few times in the first 5-10 minutes, adding stock as necessary to keep the rice fully covered.

THEN JUST LET IT SIT for another 10-20 minutes, adding stock every so often to keep the rice submerged. When you have about 8 minutes left, put the shrimps on top and stop stirring! You can turn the shrimps once to make sure they’re cooked on both sides, but that’s it. When the rice on top is

al dente, remove the paella from the stove, cover and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. *Adapted from food.com