Valencian Prawn Paella

​-Serves 6
​
It's vibrant, nourishing and without pretension - it's my friend Judith's traditional Paella recipe all the way from Valencia. I replicated the dish the day after I had it at Judith's house and trust me, this recipe is so seriously good I now make it at least once a month. You don't need a traditional paella pan for this recipe but do make sure you use the best ingredients you can find - good stock and wild-caught prawn are key! Happy cooking :)

Recipe courtesy: Judith von Prockl (www.gourmetontour.com)

Ingredients for Valencian Prawn Paella

80ml Papa's Grove olive oil
300g French shallots, sliced
sea-salt
1x400g can whole Roma tomatoes, crushed 
2 pinches quality saffron, soaked
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
1X225g can chopped pimientos 
freshly ground black pepper
1.25L good-quality chicken stock
300g green beans, chopped into 1cm pieces
500g Spanish Calasparra rice (or Arborio)
25 raw king prawns, shelled, deveined, tails on
lemon wedges, to serve
chopped parsley, to serve 

Recipe
1.  Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add half of the olive oil, followed by half of the shallots - sprinkle some salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Crush canned Roma tomatoes using your hands and add them into the pan. 
3. Next, add saffron, paprika, half of the pimientos, black pepper and stock. Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes. Add green beans and cook for another
5 minutes. Taste stock and add salt accordingly to season it.
4. Heat a large wok or frying pan or paella pan over medium flame and add remaining olive oil. Add the rest of the shallots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Next, add rice and stir for about 2 minutes making sure all the grains are coated in oil.
6. Add tomato mixture and remaining pimientos. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. (You may need to cover the pan depending on the type of rice you use and if the rice is not quite cooked through)
7. Add prawns, stir to combine, then cover and cook without stirring for another 10 minutes, or until prawns are pink.
8. Once done, let it stand for a few more minutes before serving. The best and the most treasured part of a paella is the "Socarrat" - the crunchy, caramelized crust of rice stuck to the bottom of the pan. Do remember to scrape it off the bottom of the pan when serving.
9. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot with lemon wedges on the side. 
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