Worldly Wednesday – Paella Inspired Prawn Risotto

I’m sure the purists among you will tell me off here and say i produced neither Paella nor Risotto (and maybe I haven’t) however I like to think of this as my own take on two great dishes…..chucking them in together just makes for a faster and easier meal:)

YOU WILL NEED:

2 x cloves garlic – crushed

1 x small brown onion – diced

S & P to taste

Good pinch of saffron

2 teaspoons smokey paprika

4 x handfuls long grain rice

6 x roasted red peppers from a jar – sliced

6 x semi dried tomatoes – sliced

1 x can tomatoes

2 x small handfuls fozen peas

400ml chicken stock

1 x good lug olive oil

Approx 24 medium prawns, peeled and de-veined. (Just a note to our American friends. A prawn is BIG!!! A shrimp is not.  If you have tiny little crustaceans, you may need double!)

THE HOW TO:

Fry your garlic and onion in the oil on a medium heat till soft;

Add your saffron and paprika, S & P, fry for another minute.

Add your rice (and prawns, if using raw) and stir till the rice is nice and coated in all the oils;

Add your sliced peppers and semi dried tomatoes and your can of tomatoes and give a good stir.

Make sure your stock is HOT and add it in.  Stir to combine and leave it be.

Every 5 mins or so, come back and stir once or twice and then walk away again.  It should take approx 10 – 15 mins to cook through.

If you are using cooked Prawns, add them when you think you have about 5 mins to go – you only need to heat them through – not cook them again!

Add in your frozen peas now as well.  They really don’t take too long to cook at all!

Give it the remaining 5 minutes and then taste and test.  You want your rice to be soft, but not mushy and your peas to have a bit of bite.

Serve as is or with a selection of other bits & peices…chopped frsh parsley, a wedge of lemon, even some crunch toast would go nicely on a cold winters night:)