I'm often put off making paella, down to a preconceived idea that the lengthier list of ingredients makes it a much much trickier dish to make.  Quite a firm fan of risotto as my go-to alternative, I tend to think I'm choosing an easier option, but this week, with just a few days left in our Iberian promotion, I thought it was about time I gave this classic Spanish recipe a go - and to my surprise I found the dish far lower maintenance, and significantly more flavoursome than a classic risotto can be.

Paired with Franck Massard's El Mago Organic Garnacha, this Jamie Oliver recipe, created a creamy but rich dish with the sweet & smoky paprika coming through in both colour and taste, matching the Garnacha perfectly.  A particularly moreish match with the easy drinking, subtle berry fruitiness, and delicate spice of the this wine.  When adding a squeeze of lemon to serve, remember not to be too generous - you don't want the acidity to contrast with the wine, although a little is a welcome to enhance the paella flavours.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

Method

Finely slice the garlic and the parsley stalks and put to one side.  Chop up the onion and carrot (these can be quite chunky).  Chop the chorizo and chicken into small strips/chunks.  Throw all of this into a large paella/frying pan with the paprika and some olive oil and begin to cook on a medium heat.

Whilst keeping an eye on the ingredients in the pan and stirring regularly, de-seed and chop the pepper into small strips/chunks, and add to the pan for a further 5 minutes.

Boil the kettle with 750ml water. Stir the tomato purée into the pan, and crumble the stock cube, stirring as you go. Pour the rice in and coat with the rest of the mixture, allowing it to soak up all of the concentrated flavour.

Pour the boiling water in with some salt & pepper to season, stir, then cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.  Continue to stir during this time, moving the mixture around the pan and adding extra water if necessary.

Stir in the prawns and peas, cooking for a further 5 mins, or until the prawns are pink all the way through.

To serve, add a chunk of lemon and chop the leftover parsley leaves to sprinkle on top.

If you're thinking of trying this out yourself, follow the link below for the wine match.

Franck Massard El Mago Organic Garnacha, 2013

on offer until March 1st for just £9.24 per bottle with an extra 10% off 12+ bottles

By Olivia Moore