Spanish food is my favourite cuisine. I love the social aspect of eating tapas, mainly because I am a slow eater, love to chat and i'm known to try and drag anything enjoyable out for as long as possible! 
For me, the chorizo makes this dish with its spicy taste, while the saffron adds an extra colour to make this wonderfully bright and appealing. Although it’s rice-based, it’s so light that you struggle to feel full. Paella can be cooked using seafood or chicken but personally I believe it tastes so much better with seafood!

Tip – If you do not own a paella pan, use a large frying pan which will allow the rice to cook quicker.

Prep time: 15 mins 
Cooking time: 45 minutes (longer if using brown rice)

Recipe (serves 4): -

1 x tbsp olive oil
1 x red pepper sliced
1 x brown onion diced
1 x tsp garlic puree
6 x salad tomates chopped
1 x chorizo ring sliced 5mm thick
Pinch of saffron
1 x tsp paprika
300g x long grain rice/paella rice
600ml x fish/veg stock
600ml x boiling water (900ml if using brown long grain rice)
400g x seafood of your choice 
A bunch of fresh parsley
1 x lemon

Method: -

In a large paella pan heat the olive oil on medium heat before frying your pepper, onion, chorizo and garlic puree until soft. Add your chopped tomatoes, paprika and saffron then cook for a further 5 minutes. Put all the rice in the pan and then pour in the stock stirring as you do. Bring to the boil. Once the rice starts to soak up the water, gradually pour in the boiling water. Once the paella has reached boiling point, turn it to simmer whilst occasionally stirring. Taste the rice after 30 minutes and if the rice is cooked then add your seafood and turn the heat down low. Cook for a further 5 minutes unless your shrimps are raw, in which case cook until they turn pink. Serve in the pan with lemon wedges and sprinkled parsley.

If you aren't a fish eater then swap the seafood for cooked chicken thighs and use chicken stock instead of fish.