So at home in Bristol, there was some sun. Of course, that sun was often mingled with showers, but there was definitely sun, and so the fire pit was fuelled, the paella pan dusted off, and supper was cooked, and eaten, outside. We ignored the occasional raindrops, and the fact that it was so cold we’d also lit a fire inside. We ate, as if it were a Mediterranean sun that shone, rather than the feeble, end of summer glow that there really was.
I’ve always enjoyed a paella, but this was my first time cooking it. I was nervous, but towards the end of an hour or so perusing the Moro cookbooks, the guardian website, and some Simone and Ines Ortega cookbooks, I think I got the main idea: just chose the things you like and make sure everything is cooked. So we had monkfish and chicken and prawns and squid, with a few chunks of chorizo thrown in. I still wasn’t feeling hugely confident with it all, so I cooked a starter of clams with ham and sherry, just to get the cooking underway, and to placate my hungry family, because I wasn’t sure how long it would take to cook on the fire.
Al in all, it wasn’t perfect. It cooked very very slowly, and by the time I impatiently took it off, it was still just a tiny bit wet. Everything was cooked though, which is always nice, and the rice was pretty good. There was only the merest hint of the socarrat that, I am told, is the sign of a great paella, but it was really tasty. For a first attempt, I was proud of how it all turned out. Sure, there were some things that could’ve been better, but, looking at the rain today, it looks like we won’t be eating another paella till next year.
Clams with ham and sherry
for four
700g clams
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
500g serrano ham, diced
a big glass of fino
handful of chopped parsley
In a big pan, one that has a lid, over a medium heat, cook the onion in a little olive oil for around three minutes, before adding the garlic.
After another three minutes, toss in the ham and leave, stirring occasionally, until the onion is cooked.
Turn the heat up, and when the pan is hot, throw in the sherry followed by the clams.
Put the lid on, give the pan a shake, and leave for two to three minutes until the clams open. Apparently Banging the pan with a wooden spoon makes the clams open quicker to ensure they're not overcooked. I tried it, and I don't know if it made a difference, apart from some strange looks from my family.
Sprinkle over a big handful of chopped parsley and serve with some bread for dunking.
Paella
for four - six, depending on hunger
300g boned chicken thighs, cubed into about 2cm cubes
one fillet of monkfish, cubed into about 2cm cubes
one squid tube, sliced into rings
200g chorizo, in chunks
eight raw prawns, in their shells (or some shells you might have reserved for such an occasion)
250g paella rice, I used Bomba
one litre chicken stock
a big glass of white wine
four cloves of garlic
one and a half big spanish onions
one green pepper, cubed
pinch of saffron
parsley
two lemons, cut into wedges
Bring the stock to the boil, add prawns and leave them to cook in the stock (or just throw in the shells). When they're cooked, throw in the saffron and leave to infuse whilst you get on with the chopping.
In a big pan with some olive oil, saute the chicken, until very nearly cooked, then take it out. Do the same with the monkfish, and then the chorizo.
In the same pan, gently cook the onion and garlic until very soft. Add the cubed green pepper.
Turn up the heat, and add the rice. Fry for a minute, stirring to coat with oil, before adding the wine. After the wine has bubbled down a bit, Take the prawns out of the stock and pour it over.
Leave to cook until there's only a little bit of liquid covering the rice, then bury all of the almost cooked chicken, monkfish, chorizo and the raw squid in the rice. Then lay the prawns on top. It should take about seven to ten minutes to finish off.
Take it off the heat when everything looks as you imagine a paella should look, and leave to stand for about five minutes.
Sprinkle over lots of chopped parsley and arrange the lemon wedges around the edge in the manner of a 70s cookbook. Serve.
