Paella Recipe

I was very spoilt this Christmas, and one of my gifts was a cherry red Le Creuset cast iron Buffet Casserole (yay!!) – perfect for Paellas! So what better reason does one need to prepare a deliciously fragrant – and not to mention healthy – seafood feast.

Paella

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

1 Pinch Saffron threads

80ml Sherry

2 Tbls Olive Oil

4 Spring Onions, chopped

3 Garlic cloves, sliced

4 Small or 1 large Sweet peppers

½ Chorizo sausage (about 15cm long), sliced

2 ½ Cups Arborio rice

500ml Chicken or vegetable stock

250g Squid, sliced or whole small tentacles

250g Small prawns, cleaned and de-shelled leaving the tail on

1 Smoked chicken fillet, sliced

1 Cup frozen peas

8 Langoustines, cleaned, with shell still on

Salt and pepper, for seasoning

Dried chilli flakes, for seasoning

Fresh coriander, for garnish

Fresh lemon wedges, for garnish

How to make it

Soak the Saffron in the sherry in a small pan, warm (but don’t boil) and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy based pan. Add the spring onions & sweet peppers and fry for 2 minutes.

Add the garlic and fry for another minute.

Add the chorizo and fry until the sausage edges become caramelised and the oil starts seeping out.

Scatter the rice over the bottom of the pan and fry for a few minutes, coating it well with the oil.

Add the chicken, squid, prawns, langoustines and peas, and toss everything together.

Heat the stock and pour over the rice mixture. Add the sherry and saffron mix.

Stir to mix everything together and bring to the boil. Once bubbling, turn down the heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 – 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Do not stir at all.

Separate the rice and other ingredients lightly with a fork.

Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes.

Serve scattered with fresh coriander and lemon wedges.

Tips

• This dish is perfect for using up leftovers. Use whatever you have in the fridge. Meats should be cooked when added, but seafood raw.
• You can spice it up with some smoked paprika.
• A crispy crust should form at the bottom of the pan – just keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t blacken.
• Have all your ingredients pre-prepped and sliced, once the cooking starts you won’t have time for chopping!

Valentine's Goodies

Spoil someone this Valentine’s Day

with sweet treats, salty snacks

and fluffy cakes.

for more information, visit

www.lekkerbek.co.za

or contact

Andanté

andante@lekkerbek.co.za

Wirie

wirie@lekkerbek.co.za

Mixed Berry & Sour Cream no-bake Cheese Cake

We served this cheese cake on Christmas Day, and it was the perfect accompaniment to a chilled lunch by the pool. Recipe from Food & Home Entertaining, December 2011, p55.

Mixed Berry & Sour Cream no-bake Cheese Cake

(Makes one tart)

Ingredients

Base

200g (2 cups) Shortbread biscuits

80ml (1/3 cup) Butter, soft

Filling

230g (1cup) Cream cheese

150g Castor sugar

20ml (2Tbls) Lemon juice

250ml (1 cup) Sour cream

20ml (4 tsp) Powder gelatin

125ml (1/2 cup) Cold water

125ml (1/2 cup) Blueberries

Berry Topping

250ml (1 cup) Berry juice

15ml (1 Tbls) Cornflour

15ml (1 Tbls) Water

15ml (1 Tbls) Sugar

100g Raspberries, puréed

How to make it

For the base, place the biscuits and butter into a food processor and process until combined.

Lightly grease a 15cm loose-bottom cake tin and press in the biscuit mixture to form a base. Set in the fridge for at least 40 minutes while you prepare the filling.

For the filling, mix the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and sour cream together until combined.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and leave it for a few minutes. Place some warm water into a bigger bowl and place the bowl with the gelatin mixture into it to gently melt the gelatin. Whisk 15ml (1 Tbls) of the cream cheese mixture into the melted gelatin. Mix well and pour half over the biscuit crust.

Sprinkle over the blueberries and cover with the rest of the filling. Place in the fridge to set.

For the topping, mix all the ingredients together and heat gently until slightly thickened. Allow to cool completely.

It can be poured over the cake while it is still setting – just ensure that the top of the cheesecake is firm to the touch before adding the topping.

Place the cheese cake in the fridge to set overnight.

Serve topped with a selection of fresh berries and a dusting of icing sugar.

Enjoy!

PS. There are quite a few processes, so plan your steps before hand; also, you’ll need to prepare this cake the day before as it needs time to set.