PAELLA PERFECTION

This paella recipe can be easily adjusted to suit all tastes. Not a seafood fan? Simply omit the seafood and increase the chicken to 750g. Or, if you love seafood, you can replace the chicken with sliced calamari and firm white fish such as ling.

Don’t be tempted to stir the paella in its final stages of cooking, as the delicious crust that’s formed on the base of the pan during this time is what makes paella so special – there’s even a term for it! Socarrat is the name given to this crispy base layer and many believe it’s the sign of the best paella.

Smoked paprika gives an extra depth of flavour to this dish, but if you want to punch up the heat of your paella, add 2 tsp chilli flakes as well.

Don’t be tempted to skip the chorizo as the flavour it adds to the dish is unmatched!

The cooking time of paella depends on the evenness of the heat under the pan. It can be useful to rotate the pan during cooking so the heat distributes evenly.