Mediterranean Recipes | RecipeTin Eats

Haloumi fries

Nagi — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 06:00:00 +0000

The best haloumi recipe I know – Haloumi Fries! Think – French fries, but better. The outsides are crunchier (thanks panko!) and the insides are warm, salty haloumi cheese. Guaranteed crowd pleaser for a party or as a starter. Fry, bake or air-fry!

It started as a salad.

I found myself in a typical situation of having an excess stash of something (haloumi in this case) because it was steeply discounted and I couldn’t resist. Let’s make a gorgeous haloumi salad! I declared enthusiastically, channelling the virtuous side of me.

There were several iterations. And they were all delicious……but then someone had the genius idea to try haloumi fries and all of a sudden, the salads were long forgotten.

So yes, these haloumi fries evolved from salads. You can connect the dots, right? 😂

( I did share a haloumi salad recipe once – it’s here.)

The garlic yogurt dipping sauce is literally the perfect match!

Just briefly, on Haloumi Fries (& haloumi)

Named as such because they look like fries except made with haloumi, Haloumi Fries are not a new thing. They have been on the menu of Mediterranean and plenty of non-Mediterranean restaurants/bars/bistros for years, and there’s loads of recipes on the internet.

Haloumi is a cheese from Cyprus that’s firm, salty and briny. It’s a bit like Greek feta. However, feta crumbles whereas halloumi does not crumble as well, halloumi goes golden brown when pan fried whereas feta does not, and feta semi-melts when heated whereas halloumi does not. Which is why it’s ideal for making fries!

Haloumi cut into “fries”

Crumbing

What you need for Haloumi Fries

Here’s what you need to make Haloumi Fries:

Haloumi – or halloumi. A firm briny cheese from Cyrus, feels like Greek feta. Find it vac-packed in the cheese section. Has an excellent long shelf life so I stock up when discounted!
Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods. You can buy it at most large grocery stores (Coles, Woolworths) in the Asian foods section but cheaper in Asian stores! Substitute with regular breadcrumbs if you can’t find it.
Spices – For seasoning the flour coating. Adds extra flavour. Not essential…but why skip it?? The Italian herbs is just the generic store bought pre-mix sold in every grocery store. I use it regularly in my recipes, like the One Pot Beef Pasta I shared recently!
Egg and flour – The glue, to make the panko stick to the haloumi.
Oil for shallow frying – Canola, vegetable or any other neutral flavoured oil. Even olive oil (but don’t waste your money using pricier extra virgin olive oil!).

Garlic yogurt sauce

We’re making a quick garlic dipping sauce today using yogurt as the base. The cool tangy creaminess with lovely hit of garlic goes so well with the haloumi fries, so don’t skip it!

Plain yogurt – Not sweetened. Preferable Greek. If you use low-fat, it won’t have the same mouthfeel because it’s not as thick and creamy, but it will work just fine!
Garlic – Finely grated using a microplane or grater so it disappears into the yogurt.
Lemon – Just a touch, for extra freshness. Substitute with vinegar.
Extra virgin olive oil – To add a bit of richness to the sauce. We only use a tiny amount.
Salt – For seasoning. Again, just a tiny amount!

How to make haloumi fries

It’s actually relatively fast because they only take 90 seconds to fry. I can do a batch in 20 minutes from start to finish. I also like that it’s more shallow-fried rather than deep fried. Just – less splatter, less oil to deal with, etc etc. (I’m a selective deep frier. ie I only fry when it’s really worth it!).

Cut the haloumi into sticks around 1.5cm / 0/6″ thick. The length will depend on the shape of your haloumi. I cut mine into 5 slices lengthwise, then each into half which makes uniform fries, and get 20 pieces.
This is me cutting the slice in half to form a fry.

Garlic dipping sauce – Probably should have put this first because I do it first! Just mix the ingredients together then set aside while you make the haloumi fries. It needs at least 15 minutes to let the flavours infuse and meld.
Crumbing – OK, crumbing time! Flour first….then shake off excess.
Then egg – hold it up to let the excess drip off.
Than the panko. Press to adhere well and make sure there’s no naked patches!

Crumbing tips

Use bowls large enough to fit the haloumi.
Use the same hand for the flour and egg, the the other hand for the panko. Less finger-mess.
Pro level – crumb two at a time! Use a finger to keep the fries separated as you dredge.
Olympic level – Rather than turning or pinching/sprinkling the breadcrumbs on, TOSS the bowl to coat in breadcrumbs! Optimum mess free! 🙌🏻 You’ll see me demonstrate this in the recipe video below.

Fry the halmoui sticks for just 90 seconds until golden and crisp in oil pre-heated to 180°C/350°F.
Oil temperature testing – If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil temp using a small cube of white bread. It should take 15 seconds to turn golden and crispy.
Drain the cooked fries on a paper towel lined tray. Then continue cooking.
Because haloumi fries only take 90 seconds to cook, you don’t need to worry about keeping cooked ones warm in the oven.
Once they’re all cooked, serve with the garlic dipping sauce!

Baking and air-fryer options

Whenever I share a deep fried recipe, the most common question is – can I bake this? And hot on it’s heels these days is – can I make this in my air fryer?

So today, we’ve tested it out and happy to report that you can!

Baked haloumi fries

Air-fryer haloumi fries

The baked option is best made using my panko pre-toasting technique where the breadcrumbs are baked in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes to make them golden and crunchy before using. Otherwise, they will come out pale with brown spots rather than a beautiful even golden brown like when fried. It’s not a big deal – spread on the same tray you’ll be baking the haloumi fries. Tried and proven technique that readers love in recipes such as Crunchy Chicken Tenders, Baked Filet-O-Fish and Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu! Crumb the halloumi, then bake on a rack at same temp for 20 minutes or until crunchy.

The air fryer option works a treat! Pre-heat air fryer to 200°C/390°F for 5 minutes. Oil spray fries and spray the basket. Place all haloumi fries in a single layer in a 7 L/qt+ air fryer. Cook for 9 minutes until crispy and golden!

Difference to fried version (honest option) – The baked version is about 80% as good as the fried version. You lose some moisture from inside the haloumi because it takes longer to get the crunchy coating in the oven (even with pre-toasting). The air-fryer version, however, is excellent!

The crumbing on both the air fryer and baked versions split a wee bit simply because they take longer to cook than in the oil which is a super fast 90 seconds.

For clarity, this is the original fried version!

How to serve haloumi fries

Haloumi fries typically appear on menus as a starter or a small-dish tapas option. It’s a food for nibbling, something completely different from your usual chips ‘n dips. Not that I have anything against chips ‘n dips, being the snack monster that I am (proof – my full dip recipe collection here!).

But, sometimes it’s nice to have something different to the usual that will impress the pants off your family and friends. The combination of the warm, softy, salty halloumi insides and the golden crunchy crumb with the cooling garlicky yogurt dip is every snack monsters’ dream come true. I really hope you try this one day! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Haloumi fries

Recipe video above. These can be baked, air-fried or shallow fried (best, most golden and crunchy and fastest). It's the best haloumi recipe I know – Haloumi Fries! Think – french fries, but a whole lot more interesting and faster to make. Super crunchy outside (thanks panko!) and warm, salty haloumi cheese insides.

Excellent snack, starter for a Mediterranean menu or passing around at parties.

PS The garlic dipping sauce is the perfect dunking sauce.

Course Appetizer, Snack, Starter

Cuisine Greek, Western

Keyword haloumi fries, haloumi recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 403cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

360g / 12oz haloumi cheese blocks , 2 x 180g/6 oz blocks (Note 1)
2 cups canola oil (or other natural oil)
2 large eggs , whisked

Flour dredge:

1/2 cup plain/all purpose flour
1 tbsp Italian herbs (Note 2)
1 tbsp smoked paprika (sub ordinary paprika)
1 tsp ground white pepper (sub black pepper)

Crumbing:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs – or ordinary breadcrumbs (Note 3)
1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt

Yoghurt garlic dipping sauce:

1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt
1 garlic clove , finely grated using a microplane
1/2 tsp lemon juice (sub white vinegar)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Garlic dipping sauce – Mix ingredients in a bowl and set aside for at least 20 minutes to let the flavours develop.
Cut the haloumi into fries around 1.5cm / 0/6" thick. The length will depend on the shape of your haloumi. I cut mine into 5 slices lengthwise, then each into half which makes uniform fries, and get 20 pieces.
Dry – Pat halloumi mostly dry using tea towels.
Prep – Using 3 bowls large enough to toss the halloumi, put the eggs in one bowl, mix Flour Dredge in another and mix Crumbing ingredients in a third.
Crumb – Dip a haloumi fry in flour, shake off excess. Dip in egg, allow excess to drip off. Coat in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere, then place on tray. PRO: Do 2 at a time. 🙌🏻 Toss haloumi in breadcrumbs (by tossing the bowl) so you don't have to touch. 🙌🏻
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over high heat until it reaches 180°C/350°F (Note 4).
Fry 5 haloumi sticks at a time for 1 1/2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined tray. Repeat with remaining haloumi.
Air fry and baking – see Note 5.
Serve hot with yoghurt garlic dipping sauce!

Notes

1. Halloumi – A firm white salty, briny Greek cheese usually sold in vac packs. It doesn’t melt into ooze when cooked which is why it’s ideal for making fries!

2. Italian herbs – Store bought mix you can find in any grocery store. Substitute with any mix of dried oregano, basil, parsley.

3. Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods. You can buy it at most large grocery stores (Coles, Woolworths) in the Asian foods section but cheaper in Asian stores! Substitute with regular breadcrumbs if you can’t find it.

4. Oil test – If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil temp using a small cube of white bread. For 180C/350F, it should take 15 seconds to turn golden and crispy.

5. Air fry option (excellent!) – Pre-heat air fryer to 200°C/390°F for 5 minutes. Oil spray fries and spray the basket. Place all haloumi fries in a single layer in a 7 L/qt+ air fryer. Cook for 9 minutes until crispy and golden!

Baking (haloumi dries out a little more than frying) – Spread breadcrumbs on tray, spray generously with oil then at bake 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced) for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the tray halfway, until the breadcrumb is golden. (If you don’t do this, your fries will end up pale and splotchy not an even golden colour). Crumb the halloumi, then bake on a rack at same temp for 20 minutes or until crunchy.

6. Leftovers reheat quite well! 10 minutes in a 180C/350F oven. It’s 90% as good. If making for a crowd, I’d happily serve reheated haloumi fries!

Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. I made an estimation of oil that actually ends up on each piece and factored in leftover flour and breadcrumbs.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

Reviewing today’s recipe video with me. (And drooling all over the keyboard in the process – but can we blame him? Absolutely not!)

The post Haloumi fries appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

One-pot Greek chicken risoni (orzo)

Nagi — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 02:00:00 +0000

This is a great quick recipe that’s got everything you need for a complete dinner, all cooked in one pot. Plenty of vegetables, with risoni/orzo and chicken. Tastes like risotto – loaded with tasty lemon-garlic Greek flavours!

One-pot Greek chicken risoni

Patience has never been my greatest virtue, so I shared many personal favourite recipes back in the early days when I first started this website in 2014. Every now and then, I like to revisit these older recipes and bring them to the forefront with sparkling new photos (that are in focus, wow!) and recipe videos where the chicken doesn’t have a weird green-ish/yellow tinge.

I have no embarrassment about my photos and videos from the early days because it reminds me how far I’ve come. But I do think it’s nice to spruce up these old recipes for your viewing pleasure – and hopefully convince you to try them. Like today’s new-old recipe: Greek chicken risoni! Complete dinner made in one pot, nice and quick to make, loaded with tasty Greek flavours.

This recipe starts on the stove to brown the chicken and sauté aromatics, then the risoni is cooked in the oven (which means no stirring, yay!).

What you need

Here’s what you need to make this Greek risoni recipe.

1. The risoni / orzo

Risoni is actually a pasta that is shaped like long grains of rice. Also known as “orzo”, find it in the pasta aisle. It costs around the same as spaghetti etc.

Risoni / orzo – See notes above the photo.
Chicken stock / broth and canned tomato – These are the liquids used to cook the risoni. Better than water because the risoni absorbs the flavour as it cooks!
Tomato paste – This adds a little boost of tomato flavour to the sauce, as well as thickening the sauce slightly so you end up with that really lovely oozy texture in the finished dish. Not the end of the world if you don’t have it.
Vegetables – I use zucchini / courgette and capsicum / bell pepper. Feel free to substitute with other sauté-able vegetables (carrot, beans, peas, fennel, corn, celery, frozen veg mix).
Also, if someone could arrange for the global standardisation of food words, that would be super helpful. Thanks! 😂
Onion and garlic – Flavour base aromatics.
Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes – I like to scatter across the surface before popping the dish in the oven. Love the juicy pops of tomato that burst in your mouth!

2. Lemon garlic chicken

A brief marinade of the chicken with classic Greek flavours makes the chicken that much tastier! Here’s what you need:

3. Garnishes (semi-optional)

I say it’s “semi-optional” because while you can skip the fresh oregano, the feta is highly, highly recommended!

How to make one-pot Greek chicken risoni

This recipe starts on the stove and is finished in the oven. I like this technique because it’s safer/easier – no need to stir – and the surface gets caramelised which means extra flavour. Anyone who’s made the fan-favourite One Pot Greek Chicken with Lemon Rice will know this method works well!

Marinade chicken in the lemon, olive oil, garlic and oregano. Just 20 minutes adds decent flavour into the chicken flesh.
If you’re pressed for time, you can skip the marinade, there’s plenty of flavour in the overall dish and the chicken will absorb flavour as it braises with the risoni. If you want to get ahead, you can marinade the chicken overnight – or even freeze the chicken in the marinade. So many options!
Brown chicken – Use a large ovenproof skillet / frying pan, or large pot. The one I’m using is a 30cm / 12″ non-stick frying pan.
Cook the chicken, just to seal the outside and lightly brown it. It will only take about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t cook the chicken all the way through as it will finish cooking with the risoni.
Sauté aromatics and vegetables – Once the chicken is browned, remove it from the pan. Then sauté the garlic and onion, followed by the zucchini and capsicum.
Add everything else – Add the risoni and stir to coat in the tasty flavours. Then add everything else – canned tomato, tomato paste, chicken stock, salt and pepper – and stir to combine.
Top with chicken and cherry tomatoes but don’t stir them in.
Oven 15 minutes – As soon as the liquid starts to bubble, transfer the pan to the oven (no lid) and cook for 15 minutes or until the risoni is tender.
Garnish and serve – Remove the pan from the oven. There should still be small pools of liquid on the surface. This is what we want – the dish should be oozy and saucy, not dry and stodgy!
Drizzle the dish with lemon juice, crumble over the not-optional-feta then sprinkle with the optional-fresh-oregano. Then serve!

LOOK how juicy and irresistibly oozy it looks. It’s calling your name!

Spoon into bowls, and marvel how it looks just like your favourite risotto. Except, well, you know. You haven’t been slaving over a hot stove for 40 minutes, ladling in stock and stirring, stirring, stirring.

Leftovers, should there be any, will keep for 3 days but won’t be as oozy as pictured because the pasta will absorb the liquid. A little splash of water before you microwave goes a long way to salvage it, as does a fresh sprinkle of feta and spritz of lemon juice (I find lemon juice flavour fades with time).

Hope these sparkling new photos and in-focus-video convinces you to make this!! – Nagi x

PS The Ingredients list in the recipe below looks deceptively long. But actually, there are quite a few double ups because of the way I write the recipe. So don’t be put off!

Watch how to make it

One Pot Chicken Risoni

Recipe video above. A great one-pot meal for midweek, tastes like risotto but so much easier to make! Lemon garlic chicken, surprising amount of hidden vegetables, oozy tomato risoni (orzo), loaded with Greek flavours! The list of ingredients is looks long, but there's actually a lot of repeat ingredients.

Course Dinner, One Pot

Cuisine Greek(ish)

Keyword One Pot Dinner, orzo recipe, quick dinner, risoni

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings – 5

Calories 575cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

Lemon Garlic Chicken

1 lb / 500g chicken thighs , boneless skinless (or breast), cut into 2 cm / 1" pieces
2 garlic cloves , finely minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Orzo/Risoni

2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves , minced
1 small onion , finely chopped
2 zucchini (medium, or 1 large) , cut into 1cm / 1/3" cubes (Note 1)
1 red bell pepper/capsicum , cut into 1cm / 1/3" cubes (Note 1)
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock , low sodium
14 oz / 400g canned crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups orzo/risoni (Note 2)
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 Australian punnet)
1 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
1/2 tsp black pepper

Garnish (semi-optional)

2 tbsp lemon juice , drizzling at end
1/2 cup (100g) Greek feta cheese , crumbled (not optional)
Fresh oregano leaves (optional)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Marinade chicken – Combine Marinated Chicken ingredients in a bowl and set aside for marinate for 20 minutes. (Skip if in hurry, can also do overnight)
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
Brown chicken (raw inside) – Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a a large oven proof skillet or pot over high heat (Note 3). Cook chicken until lightly browned but still pink inside. Remove from skillet.
Sauté vegetables – Add 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic and onion. Saute for 1 minute, then add zucchini and bell peppers/capsicum. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add everything else – Add risoni, oregano, chicken broth, tomato, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
Scatter chicken and cherry tomatoes across the surface (don't stir in).
Bake 15 minutes – Once the liquid comes to a simmer, transfer to the oven (no lid) and bake for 15 minutes (or until risoni is just cooked, tender but still firm). There may be liquid on the surface still – that's good!
Drizzle with lemon – Remove from oven, drizzle with lemon juice. Garnish with feta and fresh oregano leaves, if desired, then serve.

Notes

1. Veg – Any saute-able veg will work great here. Beans, carrots, celery, small bits of cauliflower or broccoli, even diced frozen veg.

2. Risoni, also known as orzo – Rice shaped small pasta sold in the pasta aisle, same price as spaghetti etc. Tastes like risotto, but much faster to cook!

3. Cooking vessel – Pictured skillet is a 30cm/12″ non stick skillet. 28cm/11″ deep skillet ok too, any smaller and you’ll need to be careful re: liquid overflow when transferring to oven. Else, use a large pot!

3. Risoni cooks very quickly! So transfer it to the oven as soon as it starts simmering on the stove, otherwise it will overcook by the time the bake time is finished (it cooks faster on the stove than the oven).

Check it after 15 minutes see if the orzo / risoni is done. Don’t worry if it’s done and it’s still quite saucy – that’s a GOOD thing! The liquid evaporates quite quickly while serving. It was slightly wetter when I took it out of the oven.

4. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge though it won’t be as oozy as the risoni absorbs the sauce. Resurrect with a splash of water, and microwave.

Nutrition assuming 5 servings.

Nutrition

Originally published January 2016. Spruced up with brand new photos and recipe video in February 2021 with minor recipe improvements (mainly process and writing). But most importantly, Life of Dozer section has been added!

More risoni / orzo recipes

I do love risoni! So quick to cook, tastes like risotto.

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo (Risoni) (One Pot)

Baked Creamy Feta Risoni

One Pot Orzo / Risoni Bolognaise

Creamy Salmon Risoni / Orzo (15 Minute Meal)

One Pot Italian Chicken & Orzo / Risoni Pasta

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni)

Quick Chicken & Vegetable Risoni recipe (Orzo)

Life of Dozer

NO, he’s not being adorable, cuddling up to me. He’s trying to get to my toast on the other side.

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The post One-pot Greek chicken risoni (orzo) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Pearl Couscous Salad

Nagi — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 22:00:00 +0000

Pearl couscous is the giant form of the more common tiny couscous. Also known as gourmet and Israeli couscous, it’s like little pearls of pasta – hence the name! Makes a fabulous salad and is a great one to take to gatherings for something different that never fails to impress.

Pearl Couscous Salad

The immature child within wants to call this a Giant Couscous Salad. But the proper name is Pearl Couscous Salad, so I went with sensible. But now I’m kind of regretting it!

Pearl couscous is the big brother of the more common tiny couscous that I use as a side dish for Moroccan and African dishes like tagine. Commonly mistaken as a grain, couscous is actually a type of pasta, and is ideal used in salads like in this recipe, or as a side like in this Syrian chicken.

While the tiny couscous can be prepared by soaking in hot water, pearl couscous needs to be simmered on the stove. In my view, the most delicious way to do this is to cook it like risotto, starting with sautéed garlic and onion then using broth instead of water. This infuses the couscous with so much flavor, you can even serve it plain as a side.

I like to cook pearl couscous in a broth that starts with sautéed garlic and onion, for maximum flavour! Take a small spoonful and you’ll understand what I mean.

This it the pearl couscous brand I get from my local shops

Close up photo of pearl couscous

What you need for this pearl couscous salad

I’ve given this salad a Mediterranean spin with a bright lemon dressing, pops of tomato, juicy crunch of cucumber and a good hit of fresh herbs. The combination of dill and coriander/cilantro is a firm favourite. If you haven’t tried it before, you’re in for a treat!

For the salad

Pearl couscous (see photos above) – Giant couscous that are sold in packets labelled as such. Other names it goes by include gourmet couscous and Israeli couscous. Find it alongside ordinary tiny couscous, usually in the pasta aisle.
Garlic, onion and vegetable or chicken broth – This is for cooking the pearl couscous. As mentioned above, I like to cook the couscous in flavour to make it more delicious. Try it once and you’ll never look back!
Fresh herbs – Dill and coriander/cilantro are a wonderful combination that I love using. Really try not to skip the herbs as they lift the dish. But in my view, this is still worth making even if you do not have one or both of these as the couscous itself and dressing add great flavour into the salad.
Best substitutes are: parsley (same quantity) or a bit of chives (say, 1/4 cup finely sliced). For a different flavour profile but something beautifully fresh, try mint and parsley, finely chopped. Add to taste. Be bold!
Baby spinach – Leafy green of choice. Finely sliced so it tosses through the couscous.
Alternatives: Baby rocket/arugula, torn by hand or chopped into smaller bits (so it tosses though well). Or finely sliced kale, but best to marinate it first to soften the tougher leaves. Follow directions in this recipe.
Cherry tomatoes – For juicy pops and lovely colour. Ordinary tomato cut into chunks or large dice will also work.
Cucumber – For fresh crunch. Nice textural contrast as there’s no nuts or anything else crunchy in this.

Lemon dressing

A bright lemon dressing is a natural pairing here. No surprises in the ingredients! If you don’t have Dijon Mustard, sub with ordinary yellow mustard. And the lemon juice can be substituted with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.

How to make pearl couscous salad

The pearl couscous needs to be cooked around 1 hour in advance to give it sufficient time to cool before tossing with the salad ingredients. You can speed up the cooling process by spreading it on a tray and refrigerating it.

Sauté garlic and onion in a large saucepan or small pot over medium high heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown.
Add couscous and stir, cooking for 1 minute, to coat it in the flavoured oil. Add the stock/broth and water. Then once it starts simmering, place the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low.
Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through but still firm.
Cool – Use a fork to separate the couscous, then transfer into a large bowl to cool. The couscous will stick together into a big block. But don’t worry, it will separate when tossed with the dressing.
Dressing – Shake the ingredients together in a jar.
Toss! Add all the salad ingredients and fresh herbs into the bowl with the couscous then toss well with the Dressing. Serve immediately, at room temperature!

What to serve with this pearl couscous salad

Serve it as a meal in itself, which is what I often do, or as a side.

As a side dish, with the bright Mediterranean flavours in this, the obvious pairing would be all things Mediterranean like Greek Baked Chicken, Turkish lamb skewers, Greek Meatballs and Greek butterflied lamb leg. But I especially love serving this with African and Middle Eastern spiced things – like Chicken Shawarma which is pictured below, and Moroccan Lamb backstraps . The fresh flavours of this pearl couscous salad are a terrific contrast to the earthy, complex flavours of Middle Eastern flavours.

Other similar spiced mains include Middle Eastern Lamb Koftas, Lamb Shawarma (oh my, this is SO GOOD!), Moroccan Lamb Meatballs and the Jerk Fish I shared earlier this week (YES! It would be amazing with this!).

Terrific as a side, though I often have it as a lunch by itself.

Deceptively large amount of greens!

There is a deceptively large amount of greens packed into this salad. Because the beads of couscous are so small relative to, for example, pasta, there’s a lot more “stuff” for veggies to be stirred into. I’m not really explaining it very well! But if (WHEN!!!) you make this, you’ll feel like there’s a ton of greens for just 1 1/2 cups of couscous. But the couscous expands when cooking and once it’s all tossed together, it seems like just the right amount.

Hidden veggies!

Salad that can be eaten with a spoon!

Why does it feel so immature that this appeals to me so much??? – Nagi xx

Watch how to make it

Pearl Couscous Salad

Recipe video above. I adore the bright Mediterranean flavours in this salad! Great one to take to gatherings for something a little different that everyone always loves. Serve as a side (6 to 8) or a meal in itself (serves 4).

Also known as Israeli and gourmet Couscous, pearl couscous is the big brother version of the more common small couscous. Texture and taste like pasta – soft but a bit chewy, but has a pearly, slippery surface (hence the name).

Course Dinner

Cuisine Western

Keyword couscous salad, gourmet couscous salad, israeli couscous salad, pearl couscous salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings – 8 people

Calories 477cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Couscous:

2 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove , minced
½ small onion , finely chopped
1 1/2 cups (250g/ 8oz) pearl couscous (aka gourmet or Israeli couscous, Note 1)
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth , low sodium
1 cup water

Salad:

2 cucumbers , diced (about 2 cups)
250g / 8 oz cherry tomatoes , halved (about 2 cups)
3 cups baby spinach , finely sliced (Note 2)
¼ cup coriander / cilantro , finely chopped (or sub with parsley)
¼ cup dill , finely chopped

Lemon Dressing (Note 3):

2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove , minced
1 tsp sugar , optional
3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Couscous:

Sauté onion & garlic – Heat oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, saute until the onion is translucent and starting to brown.
Couscous & broth – Add couscous and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add broth and water, bring to a simmer. Then place the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low so it is simmering gently.
Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through but still firm. Use a fork to separate the couscous, then transfer into a large bowl to cool. (It will form a sticky block but don't worry, it will separate when tossed with Dressing).

Salad:

Dressing – Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.
Toss! Add Salad ingredients into the bowl, pour over Dressing and toss. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

1. Pearl couscous is also known as Israeli Couscous or Gourmet Couscous or Gourmet Pearl Couscous. Basically, they are the giant form of the more common tiny couscous! Some recipes say to use a ratio of 1 cup of couscous to 2 cups of water. I find this makes the couscous too soft and gummy on the outside. Mine are cooked through and soft but “pearl like” on the outside rather than gummy, using a ratio of 1 cup couscous to 1 2/3 cups liquid.

In Australia, you will find it in the pasta aisle of Woolworths and Coles next to ordinary tiny couscous, and it costs around the same.

2. Baby spinach – Use about 2 handfuls of baby spinach (approx. 50g / 2 oz), or even ordinary spinach leaves. Kale and silverbeet would also work well (remove the tough stem in the middle of each leaf). Be generous – this is a great way to pack lots of greens into this salad because it mixes through so well. Hidden greens!

3. STORAGE: The dressed salad keeps quite well for 2 days – after that the herbs are a bit too wilted. But it is best served fresh. If you are making ahead, keep the Dressing separate until just before serving.

4. OTHER WAYS TO SERVE: This way of cooking the couscous flavours it so you can even serve the couscous plain as a side dish. If you want, dress it up a bit with a sprinkle of herbs, or a squeeze of lemon juice. Just imagine the possibilities!

5. WHAT TO SERVE THIS WITH: This Pearl Couscous Salad has bright Mediterranean flavours so while the obvious pairing would be with all things Mediterranean, I think it goes particularly well with complex earthy flavours of Middle Eastern spices such as Chicken Shawarma, Middle Eastern Lamb Koftas and Turkish Koftas. Would also be stellar with Greek Meatballs, yoghurt marinated Greek Chicken (skip the wraps in the Gyros), Souvlaki, Portuguese Chicken (skip the bread), Slow Roasted Greek Lamb. See my Greek recipes here and Middle Eastern recipe here. (New addition: excellent with Jerk Fish!)

6. Serves 4 as a meal or 6 – 8 as a side. Nutrition is per serving, assuming 4 servings.

Nutrition

Originally published July 2017. Updated January 2023 with a name change from Israeli Couscous Salad to Pearl Couscous Salad due to the political sensitivity around the recipe name. The brand I used to use sold this type of couscous labelled as “Israeli couscous”. I don’t want my website to be a political forum so I’ve changed the name. And actually, these days most packets are labelled “pearl couscous”. Post has also been updated with an improved video worthy of this fabulous salad and refreshed photos. No change to recipe – it’s perfect as is!

MORE SUMMER SALADS to take to gatherings

Italian Pasta Salad
Coleslaw
Potato Salad and Lemon Potato Salad
Wild Rice Salad <– reader fave!
Everybody’s favourite Macaroni Salad
Caprese Salad
12 Minute Sun Dried Tomato Couscous Salad
Browse all Pasta Salads and Rice Salad

Life of Dozer

Teamwork! 😂 (Dozer on the left with this friend Aggie on the right!)

The post Pearl Couscous Salad appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Spanish Paella

Nagi — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Paella! This famous saffron infused rice dish is a traditional Spanish recipe that comes fully loaded with seafood or anything your heart desires! You don’t need a paella pan to cook paella, any skillet or even a large pot will do, and it’s surprisingly straightforward to make.

Terrific festive party food!

Paella recipe

If you’ve always wanted to but been too afraid to try Paella, I can assure you – there is no reason to be scared! If you approach it the right way – and I like to keep my recipes as risk free as possible – you will end up with rice that’s cooked exactly to your taste in a saffron infused, flavour loaded sauce with all your seafood cooked to perfection.

No overcooked seafood, and no mushy rice around here!

The beauty of paella is that it is in fact extremely flexible. Don’t get too hung up about getting the exact seafood I use. Don’t listen to the authors who tell you that you MUST use homemade fish broth or buy extremely expensive seafood stock.

I learnt Paella the Migeul Maestro* and Rick Stein way – as he wrote in his Mediterranean Escapes cookbook, Paella, whether it be for a quick midweek meal or a large festive gathering, is meant to be relaxed and fun, not stressful with strict rules.

So just chill out!!

* Miguel Maestro is Australia’s most well known Spanish Chef.

I say this is a straightforward recipe but I AM going to spend a bit more time on explaining steps and process visuals than I usually do (short recipe video extremely helpful for first timers) because I’m guessing paella is a bit of a special occasion dish for many and I want to ensure you nail it! (And you will, I promise – if you follow my steps!)

Best rice to use for paella

The best rice to use for paella is Spanish rice labelled as:

Bomba Rice – or arroz bomba (“arroz” means rice in Spanish);
Valencia rice or Arroz de Valencia (pictured below) – the other common name for Bomba Rice; or
Calasparra Rice -or Arroz Calasparra.

Paella rice packets tend to be very helpful providing clues such as pictures of Paella or “perfect for paella!” splashed across it.

Where to find paella rice – here in Australia, paella rice is sold at most Woolworths and Harris Farms, some Coles, delis, Spanish or Mediterranean delis (some Italian ones too), or gourmet stores. See below for best subs using more common rice.

Paella rice is a short grain variety of rice (ie it is short in length, distinctly different from basmati which is very long). The unique quality of paella rice is that it absorbs more liquid than other types of rice without getting bloated and mushy, making it ideal for a dish like paella where you want the rice to absorb loads of flavour.

Best substitute for paella rice is risotto rice (arborio rice) which has similar characteristics ie. ability to absorb lots of liquid, except risotto goes creamy if you stir it. The next best is medium grain rice – the same rice I use for rice pudding.

I do not recommend using: brown rice, long grain white rice, black rice, wild rice or any other fancy type of rice. And in anticipation of someone asking – NO to quinoa!!! (A million Spaniards almost fainted at the thought).

What goes into Paella

I divide the stuff that goes into Paella into 2 groups:

The Base Ingredients – rice, aromatics (garlic, onion, saffron), stock;
The Add Ins – chicken, seafood, chorizo

1. The Base Ingredients

Paella rice – as discussed above. Buy anything labelled as Bomba, Valencia, de Valencia or Calasparra – or simply “paella rice”!
Saffron – a signature part of paella is the warm yellow tinge of the rice and delicate saffron flavour. Saffron is expensive, even more expensive than gold by weight! So if your budget won’t stretch to real saffron threads, use a pinch of saffron powder (it’s artificial but will provide the same colour hit and some flavour – but don’t worry, we have tons of other flavour in this paella!);
Stock/broth – just store bought chicken stock is fine here, we are going to get tons of seafood stock from the seafood we use. If you’re in Australia and insist on using fish or seafood stock, get the good stuff from gourmet or fish shops, do not buy supermarket cartons (they are quite nasty). US reads: I can highly recommend clam juice as an option if you want extra seafood flavour;
Garlic and onion – essential flavour base;
Tomato – fresh tomato is the traditional method but if you can’t get good juicy fresh tomato (as I couldn’t when I filmed the video), use canned instead;
Capsicum/bell peppers – also adds to the flavour base, I really recommend using it; and
Peas – optional, I like that it adds a splash of colour in an otherwise very red/yellow dish!

2. The Add Ins

And here are the proteins I put in the paella – chicken, chorizo*, calamari, prawns/shrimp, mussels. A very classic, popular combination.

* 45 million Spaniards just threw up their hands in protest at the inclusion of Chorizo, declaring it’s not traditional! But outside of Spain, it’s considered a key ingredient – and it adds a ton of flavour to the dish. 25 million Aussies would throw up their hands in protest if I left it out! So it’s in.

Forgot to include calamari in the above photo! if you don’t find rings, buy a squid tube then slice it – as pictured below.

How to make paella

Here’s how to make paella in 4 simple steps:

sear chorizo and squid first, then remove;
sauté onion and garlic, brown chicken, then cook the rice in the broth with some of the chorizo;
partway through cooking the rice, squidge the prawns/shrimp and mussels in which will leech a STACK of juices into the rice, adding loads of flavour; and
pop squid back on top, then cover and rest for 5 minutes before serving!

Part 1 – sear, make flavour base, add rice and stock

This part is pretty straightforward. The only key tip here is to only cook the squid/calamari for 90 seconds – squid cooks super fast and goes rubbery quite quickly!

You don’t need a paella pan. Any large skillet will work fine – or even a wide pot. In fact, paella pans require more advanced cooking skills because the everyday paella pans tend to be quite thin which makes the rice very prone to burning unless you have a stove burner made especially for paella (they have wide rings that turn down pretty low).

Note how we return some of the cooked chorizo back in to cook with the rice. It adds great flavour into the dish as well as salt.

Part 2 – cook rice, squidge in seafood

The rice is cooked uncovered – this is a distinct cooking technique for paella compared to other iconic rice dishes of the world like Jambalaya and Biryani. Initially, we cook the rice for just 10 minutes – at this stage, it will be partially cooked though it will seem to absorb most of the liquid.

But wait! There’s more liquid to come!

We add the prawns and mussels partway through cooking the rice because they cook faster. So the idea here is that the prawns, mussels and rice all finish cooking at the same time. If the seafood was added with the rice, they would overcook. Nobody wants rubbery prawns in their paella!

The prawns and mussels (especially the mussels) leech an astonishing amount of liquid as they cook – around 3/4 of a cup. Not only does this provide the extra liquid required to finish cooking the rice, it’s essentially our very own homemade seafood stock that adds a load of incredible flavour into our paella!

Part 3 – garnish and rest!

The home stretch! After 8 minutes, the prawns will be perfectly cooked and the mussels will be open so you know they’re cooked.

You will need to taste the rice to ensure it’s perfectly cooked (I know, I know, what an inconvenience! 😉). And it will still be a bit liquidy which is exactly what you want – because now we’re going to cover and rest it off the heat, during which time the excess liquid will be absorbed, leaving you with a bit pot of juicy paella rice, ready for serving!

Pop the cooked squid and reserved garnishing chorizo back on top before you cover it so the heat warms them through.

And just prior to serving, add some wedges of lemon and a sprinkle of parsley for colour!

How to serve paella

It’s entirely up to you whether you take it to the table as it is with the seafood completely covering the rice, or whether you give it a bit of a mix so the seafood gets jumbled through the rice a bit.

I tend to give it a bit of a mix to loosen the rice a bit, mix the flavour through a bit better and also disperse the seafood through. So I bring it to the table looking like this:

How much to make per person

Paella is such a great dish for a gathering because it’s easy to make loads in a giant pan or get multiple pans going at the same time! Use the scaler function on the recipe card to increase servings.

Allow for 1/3 cup / 60g of rice per person, plus around 150g / 5 oz of proteins and seafood. This is slightly on the generous side – but leftovers keep well, and nobody wants to be short!

PAELLA COOKING TIPS

Answering your burning questions about making Paella.

What rice to use for Paella? The best rice for paella is Bomba rice, also labelled as Valencia Rice or Rice de Valencia (Valencia is the region that Paella is said to have originated from). The other common rice is called Calasparra Rice (a region in Spain where it is grown). See above in post for more information.
Best paella pan / skillet – Paella pans are large and shallow so the rice spreads out thinly and cooks evenly without stirring. But you don’t need a paella pan to make paella! Just use a large skillet. The key is to ensure the rice is not stacked up more than about 2 cm / 3/5″ deep (excluding the liquid & seafood added later, but including onion etc mixed throughout rice), to ensure even cooking.
The liquid to rice ratio for paella is usually 1 cup of rice to 3 cups of liquid which is on the softer side than ideal. I use slightly less (2.3 cups liquid per 1 cup rice) because seafood drops a LOT of liquid (especially mussels) and you can always add more water/broth at the end to soften / finish cooking rice but you cannot UNDO overcooked, bloated, mushy rice.
Cook in broth, not water – Fact is, the better the broth, the better the paella. The best is a homemade seafood broth. The 2nd best is a store bought chicken broth dolled up by simmering it for a while with some seafood offcuts, or make seafood paella like I have (so the flavoured seafood juices drop into the rice). The 3rd best is store bought chicken broth. Store bought fish stock doesn’t make the cut in my world – sorry. (Unless of course, you get a gourmet homemade one.)
Don’t stir!! Unlike risotto, paella should not be creamy. So once you add the broth, do not stir as this will activate the starch and make it gluey. The best paellas have a golden crust on the bottom, called the soccarat, and it’s the best part of the paella.
Add seafood partway through cooking – Paella takes 20 to 25 minutes to cook. So squidge the seafood in partway through cooking to avoid overcooking it. Even partially submerged, it is enough heat to cook. The only exception is squid – it needs to be cooked super fast (2 minutes or less) or super long to make it tender (60 minutes). Anything in between is horrid and rubbery. For paella, we take the super fast route – cook it first, remove, add back later.

What to serve with Paella

Back in 2016, in my pre recipe video days, I shared this Paella recipe as part of a 3 course Spanish Fiesta! So here are some suggestions to make a full Spanish Feast:

Easy Tapas Starters – garlic mushrooms, Spanish potato tortilla, and more! (No recipe video for these, being that they’re old recipes. If you want videos, put in a request in the comments section below!)
This paella for the main
Spanish CHURROS for dessert! Astonishingly straightforward to make – 20 minutes start to finish – and they also reheat extremely well which makes them great make ahead party food!

So. Much. Food.

So, SO happy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Note: recipe calls for chopped fresh tomatoes if you have find ripe juicy ones which I could not. Canned crushed tomato is the best substitute which is what I’ve used.

Spanish Paella

Recipe video above. The most famous Spanish dish of them all! Paella is meant to be a fun relaxed dish, so don't get hung up about having the exact same seafood I've used - see Notes. And don't be scared of making paella - it is actually very forgiving if you have the right liquid/rice ratios and follow the order in which I cook things!

Note on Chorizo - NOT in traditional Spanish Paella recipes however, it's widely used in Spanish restaurants outside of Spain. Australia would faint if I excluded it. So it's in!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword paella recipe, seafood paella, spanish paella

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings - 6 people

Calories 692cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
7 oz / 200g chorizo (2 pieces) , sliced 1/2 cm / 1/5" thick (Note 1)
200g / 6 oz squid (calamari) , cut into 7mm / 1/4" thick rings (Note 2)
1 onion , diced (brown, white, yellow)
3 garlic cloves , minced
1 red capsicum / bell pepper , diced
1 1/2 cups paella rice ("Bomba", "Valencia" or "Calasparra" rice) (Note 3)
2 juicy ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced OR 3/4 cup canned crushed tomato (Note 4)
300g / 10 oz chicken thigh fillets , cut into 1.5" / 3.5cm pieces
3 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock (not low sodium) or homemade seafood broth (Note 5)
1 tsp saffron threads (or 1/4 tsp ground saffron, Note 6)
1 cup frozen peas
12- 16 medium / large prawns , whole (shell on) (Note 7)
12 large mussels , cleaned & check freshness (Note 8)

Garnish

Fresh parsley , chopped
2 Lemons , cut into wedges

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Chorizo - Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 30cm / 10" paella pan or large skillet over high heat (Note 9). Add chorizo and cook until browned on each side (~ 3 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Squid - Add squid and cook for 45 seconds on each side, then remove and set aside.
Garlic, onion, capsicum - Add remaining oil (if needed). Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add capsicum, cook for 1 minute.
Chicken - Add chicken. Cook for 2 minutes until lightly browned but still raw inside.
Add Rice - Add rice and mix until the grains are coated in oil.
Cooking broth - Add in most of the chorizo (reserve 1/4 for garnish), chicken stock, fresh or crushed tomato and saffron. Stir.
Simmer 1 - Bring it to a simmer then adjust heat so it's simmering fairly gently (not super rapidly, will burn rice). Simmer for 10 minutes - no stirring! At this stage, a bit of rice should be poking through to the surface but there should still be plenty of liquid.
Add peas, prawns and mussels - Scatter over peas, squidge the prawns and mussels into the rice (partial submerge is fine).
Simmer 2 - Cook for 8 minutes (turn prawns halfway if you think it's necessary) or until prawns are opaque, mussels are open, and most of the liquid has been absorbed but still a bit liquidy. Discard any mussels that do not open. Remove from stove.
Check rice - Do a taste test to see if the rice is cooked - it should be firm but cooked. If it is too firm for your taste, no stress, just add a splash of hot water (not too much!) and keep cooking.
Rest - Scatter over squid and reserved chorizo (residual heat will warm through), cover with lid then rest for 5 minutes (rice will absorb remainig liquid). Paella rice should now be tender but "juicy", not stodgy and thick (if it is, add splash of water to loosen it).
Garnish - scatter with parsley and wedges of lemon. Take to table as is, then mix up rice with seafood before serving!

Notes

No salt? You'll find if you follow the recipe as is, it is well seasoned from the chorizo, full salt chicken stock (not low salt) and the seafood. When you taste at the end, if you want it saltier, add a sprinkle before you mix it all up for serving.

1. Chorizo - make sure you get cured chorizo (ie already cooked) not raw chorizo (ie like raw sausage, won't slice neatly).

2. Squid / calamari - often sold pre sliced, or buy a tube and slice yourself (as pictured in post).

3. Rice - paella is best made with paella rice. Get anything labelled: "Bomba, Calasparra, Valencia or de Valencia, or paella rice". Packs often have a photo of paella or "great for paella!" splashed across it. It will probably have the word "Arroz" next to it which means "rice" in Spanish. (Australia - sold at large Woolies, some Coles, all Harris Farms, Spanish / Euro delis, gourmet stores).

Best substitutes for paella rice:

risotto rice - but add an extra 1/2 cup of water with stock
medium grain rice - reduce water to 2 cups per 1 cup of rice (ie use 3 cups stock for 1.5 cups rice)
long grain white rice, sushi rice - will work per medium grain rice, but finished dish mouthfeel quite different to paella (still tasty though!)

Unsure how much liquid to use for your rice? Make this recipe with 3 cups of stock for 1.5 cups rice, that's a safe amount for any type of white rice. Then if the rice is still too firm at the end, just add boiling water or hot stock 1/2 cup at a time and keep cooking. Drizzle all over the pan and just leave it om the stove.

Do not use: brown rice (takes too long to cook, too firm), basmati (too firm) or jasmine rice (too mushy), sticky rice (texture completely wrong for this dish), wild rice (too firm), black rice (too fancy 😂). Do not ask about quinoa (the answer is NO!😂)

If you DO NOT USE seafood, increase the liquid in this recipe to 3 3/4 cups / 925 ml for the 1 1/2 cups rice (because seafood leeches plenty of liquid), and I highly recommend using an excellent chicken stock (or clam juice / gourmet fish stock if you can) plus sautéing 3 chopped up anchovies (or 2 tsp paste) with the onion (it will dissolve, you won't taste anchovies - it will help with flavour loss from no seafood).

4. Tomato - diced fresh tomato is traditional, but if you can't find juicy ones (as I couldn't when I went to film the video) use canned instead.

5. Stock/broth - The better the stock, the better the paella. A homemade fish stock would be best. However, if you use some seafood, it drops juices while it cooks which adds a significant amount of flavour into store bought chicken broth and this is how I usually make it. You could go one step further and simmer the store bought chicken broth for a bit with seafood off cuts - that will add loads of flavour!

6. Saffron - saffron threads are traditional, but expensive! If you're on a budget, use imitation saffron powder instead - 1/4 teaspoon is sufficient, it's potent stuff.

7. Prawns/shrimp - whole fresh or frozen thawed prawns are best here because a) they drop more liquid to add flavour into the rice; b) shell protects to prolong cook time. If you only have pre peeled prawns, squidge them in more towards the end OR cook them after the squid, then remove, then stir them back in at the end.

8. Mussels - magical for paella! They drop loads of liquid which adds so much flavour into paella - about 1/2 cup from just 10 or so mussels.

If there's a little raggedy "tuft" hanging from the side of the mussels, pull them out. Also, unless bought vac packed (as is common here in Australia) that says they're cleaned, give them a good scrub under running water.

CHECK FOR FRESHNESS by smelling each one because one "off" mussel will ruin the whole pan of paella (yes, really). Fresh mussels smell of the ocean / seawater. You will know if you come across an off one (I don't need to describe the smell, just trust me, you will know).

Leftover mussels from packets - you will have more than you need, use the rest to make steamed mussels (on theme to serve on side!).

9. Skillet size - to ensure your rice cooks evenly, you need to use a large skillet (or paella pan!) such that the rice is not stacked up more than about 2 cm / 3/5" deep (before liquids go in). To check before you start cooking: tip rice in, then triple the height to factor in onion, chicken etc. As long as that is 2 cm / 3/5" or less, then it's fine.

10. Variations: Make it a plain chicken paella - use 500g/1lb of chicken. Substitute with turkey, lamb, beef or rabbit (very Spanish!), or even leave out proteins and make it a vegetarian or just a seafood one!

Other seafood that is fantastic in paella: Crab, other crustaceans, shell fish, scallops, fish. For things like fish and scallops, brown first, then add back towards the end (the way the squid is done in the recipe).

11. How much to make per person - Allow for 1/3 cup / 65g of rice per person, plus around 150g / 5 oz of proteins and seafood.

12. FANTASTIC to make on the BBQ! Stick the pan right on the grills, then play with heat strength so you get a nice simmer.

13. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. 137 of the 692 calories is attributable to the chorizo (loaded up with yummy red spicy oil, totally worth it, flavours the rice!).

Nutrition

Originally published August 2016, updated July 2020 with a new video, and lots more process steps!

Life of Dozer

Discovered a new way to exercise Dozer – using a drone! It makes me tired just watching him 😂 Also so glad that food doesn’t move…. he’s very difficult to keep up with!

And from the original publication date: At Sydney’s beautiful Bilgola Beach, drooling over this Paella on my computer screen and waiting patiently for me to finish, hoping I’ll let him hit the surf. No such luck Dozer, no dogs allowed on this beach! No swim for you this morning. And no paella either! #HardLifeForDozer

The post Spanish Paella appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.