SEAFOOD STARTER

10 king prawns
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
plain flour, for dusting
olive oil
100 g chorizo, sliced, optional
6 slices pancetta or streaky bacon, optional
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 liters fish stock, hot
2 large pinches saffron
1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika
500 g paella rice
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped, stalks chopped
500 g mussels, scrubbed, optional

Heat a little olive oil in a large deep pan and add the sliced chorizo and pancetta or bacon and fry until browned and crispy. Then add the onion and garlic and cook until soft. Meanwhile infuse half the hot fish stock with the saffron. Add the smoked paprika, rice and infused stock and leave to cook on a medium heat, stirring from time to time.
After 20 minutes the rice should be nearly cooked. At this point, pour in the rest of the stock along with the prawns, and the mussels if you are using them.
Place a lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes more.
Finally, serve this sprinkled with chopped parsley and a wedge of lemon.

Photo: Elize de Kock
Recipe posted by Amanda Conradie