After a long absense.

Well Hello,

Its been quite a few years since I added anything thing to my blog and a LOT has happened since I did.  But my love of anything culinary hasn't changed much.  I have tried lots of new cuisines mostly successful,  and I have had lots of inspirations from all quarters.  Moroccan, Persian, Ethiopian for example.  I have also been very inspired and give thanks to my friends and acquaintances. There are also twists on the old staples like Oxtail soup.  Who would have thought that throwing in a  few spoons of marmalade to the broth could make such a difference.  Of course cooking with any type of alcohol is dependent on the day of cooking as to how much is actually added to the food or my wine glass.  A sharp knife and a glass of wine is not always a good combination.  It's all about the balance.  And for those who know me know it's a fine line.

My new pet peeve is looking at recipes on line from wanna be chefs who have no idea how to write out a recipe and who think they know what they are doing.  But hey who am I to judge, we are all on our own journeys.  I am just glad I know the difference and am able to sort the wheat from the chaff.

So on to todays recipe which was devoured by my nearest and dearest this evening.

Paella with a twist,  taking into consideration that not everyone can eat shellfish without dying a horrible death due to anaphylactic shock.  I managed to change it up to suit our needs.

PAELLA

I used a proper Paella dish for this but you can use any large heavy bottomed skillet.

You will need a herb blend which consists of
1 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 large cloves of garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Set this aside for use later.

Then you will need
1 table spoon of saffron threads added to 1 cup of warm water, (don't chintz on the saffron)
Let these infuse until you need them

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups of finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped red pepper
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 cup frozen peas
2 table spoons finely sliced sun dried tomatoes
8 artichoke hearts ( jarred in olive oil or from a can)
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika

2 large chicken breasts diced
1 chorizo sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups Arborio rice
2 tetra packs of chicken broth

To finish add

1 tub mini Boccioni cheese
16 grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Firstly sauté your chicken in olive oil and remove from the pan, then add the sausage to the pan and sauté then remove from the pan.

Add a little more olive oil and sauté the onion, pepper, garlic, peas, sun dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts for a few minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes, paprika and rice, stir well.

Add your chicken stock, saffron and sautéed meats.

Stir in your herb blend with some salt and pepper.

Stir occasionally till it comes to the boil and then turn the heat right down low.

let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes.  ( I covered my pan with foil before simmering) Give it another stir.  If some rice has stuck to the bottom and made a slight crust it's ok.  This is a good thing trust me.

To finish place your Boccioni cheese and tomatoes over the top.  Adjust the seasoning to your taste. 

My advice is to cover it up and let it stand for about 20 minutes on the stove with the heat turned off before serving.  These quantities give you a generous 8 portions

I had a very happy family tonight with not many left overs.