Saturday, November 05, 2011
Curtis Stone: Spanish fiesta
Celebrate spring with tasty
seafood paella, one of star chef Curtis Stone's favourite dishes to
share with friends.
Playing host has always come naturally to me. A lot of my time is spent working or travelling, so when I am actually at home, I'm always much more comfortable when I'm surrounded by my friends or loved ones, cooking, eating and laughing away. And now that the weather's warm, the appeal of a little fiesta at my place is even more tempting than usual.
Now, it's no secret that I'm a big fan of any dish that's easy to share. So when I found myself at the market during this trip home asking, "What am I going to cook for everyone?", I couldn't resist the urge to make paella. The thought of everyone serving each other at the table, spooning the steaming rice onto the plate of the persona next to them and topping each other's glasses from a pitcher full of sangria brings a smile to my face.
This paella recipe has loads of beautiful seafood in it, so you won't find yourself breaking up fights at the table over the last scallop or mussel. It is simple, looks stunning and tastes amazing. Just sue the freshest seafood you can find and I guarantee you won't have any leftovers!
Seafood paella with lemon and parsley
Serves 4
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 pinches saffron threads
2 cups long-grain white rice
½ cup dry white win
1 tsp salt
4 cups chicken stock, warm
1 tomato, seeded, diced
8 mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
8 Manila or littleneck clams, scrubbed
4 large prawns, halved lengthwise and de-veined (with shells left intact)
4 sea scallops
1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, halved
Method
1. Heat oven to 220C. Heat the olive oil in a 30cm paella pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes.
2. Add garlic, thyme sprigs and bay leaves, and sauté for about 1 minute or until shallots are tender and translucent.
3. Sprinkle the saffron over the shallot mixture and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes or until the pan is quite dry and the rice is coated with oil.
5. Stir in the wine and salt, then add the warm chicken stock.
6. Stir the rice to distribute it evenly in the pan.
7. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then remove the pan from the heat.
8. Sprinkle the tomato over the rice mixture.
9. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake the paella, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until the rice is almost tender.
10. Nestle the mussels, clams, prawns and scallops into the paella and continue baking for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and the seafood is just cooked (discard the mussels and clams that do not open).
11. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
12. Squeeze lemon over the paella and serve.
For more recipes from Curtis, check out this month's Cosmo, on sale now.
Meanwhile, try Curtis' asparagus and sweet corn salad with avocado and lemon.
Playing host has always come naturally to me. A lot of my time is spent working or travelling, so when I am actually at home, I'm always much more comfortable when I'm surrounded by my friends or loved ones, cooking, eating and laughing away. And now that the weather's warm, the appeal of a little fiesta at my place is even more tempting than usual.
Now, it's no secret that I'm a big fan of any dish that's easy to share. So when I found myself at the market during this trip home asking, "What am I going to cook for everyone?", I couldn't resist the urge to make paella. The thought of everyone serving each other at the table, spooning the steaming rice onto the plate of the persona next to them and topping each other's glasses from a pitcher full of sangria brings a smile to my face.
This paella recipe has loads of beautiful seafood in it, so you won't find yourself breaking up fights at the table over the last scallop or mussel. It is simple, looks stunning and tastes amazing. Just sue the freshest seafood you can find and I guarantee you won't have any leftovers!
Seafood paella with lemon and parsley
Serves 4
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 pinches saffron threads
2 cups long-grain white rice
½ cup dry white win
1 tsp salt
4 cups chicken stock, warm
1 tomato, seeded, diced
8 mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
8 Manila or littleneck clams, scrubbed
4 large prawns, halved lengthwise and de-veined (with shells left intact)
4 sea scallops
1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, halved
Method
1. Heat oven to 220C. Heat the olive oil in a 30cm paella pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes.
2. Add garlic, thyme sprigs and bay leaves, and sauté for about 1 minute or until shallots are tender and translucent.
3. Sprinkle the saffron over the shallot mixture and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes or until the pan is quite dry and the rice is coated with oil.
5. Stir in the wine and salt, then add the warm chicken stock.
6. Stir the rice to distribute it evenly in the pan.
7. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then remove the pan from the heat.
8. Sprinkle the tomato over the rice mixture.
9. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake the paella, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until the rice is almost tender.
10. Nestle the mussels, clams, prawns and scallops into the paella and continue baking for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and the seafood is just cooked (discard the mussels and clams that do not open).
11. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
12. Squeeze lemon over the paella and serve.
For more recipes from Curtis, check out this month's Cosmo, on sale now.
Meanwhile, try Curtis' asparagus and sweet corn salad with avocado and lemon.
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