TODAY’S RECIPE: Spanish rice with squid, prawns & fennel

INSTEAD of black rice, use saffron to make it yellow. Serves: 4

Ingredients

300g cleaned squid 8 large king prawns, head and shell on 5 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted Juice and zest of a lemon 4 garlic cloves, sliced 2 onions, chopped 1 fennel bulb, half chopped, half sliced, fronds reserved 200g paella or risotto rice 125ml white wine 3 sachets squid ink 500ml chicken or fish stock Chopped parsley, to serve

Method

1. Slice the squid into rings and tip into a mixing bowl with the tentacles, prawns, 4 tbsp olive oil, fennel seeds, the lemon juice, half the garlic and some seasoning, then set aside.

2. Heat oven to 190c/170c fan/gas 6. Heat the remaining oil in a shallow, wide ovenproof pan. Fry the onions and chopped fennel for about ten minutes until soft and starting to turn golden, add the remaining garlic and cook for another five minutes. Scatter in the rice, stir and cook until it just starts to crackle. Pour in the wine, ink and stock and bring up to a simmer, giving everything a gentle stir to incorporate the ink. Stir through most of the sliced squid, keeping back a few rings and the tentacles.

3. Transfer the pan to the oven, cook for 25 minutes, then place the prawns and remaining squid on top and drizzle everything with the oil from the marinade. Put back in the oven for another ten minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed, and the rice and seafood are just cooked. Scatter over the sliced fennel and fronds, lemon zest and the chopped parsley. Place in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves.