EASY PAELLA

The sun is out and I'm wanting food to match.  Paella is a summer food to me, full of vibrant colours with it's golden saffron tinged rice spiked with red and orange peppers, green peas, pink prawns and flaming chorizo.  It's not just packed with colour, there's no skimping on flavour either.

With this easy version. you don't have to spend time travelling to Spain and you don't have to spend too much time in the kitchen either.

1 tbsp Oil
1 Onion chopped
1/2 Red Pepper chopped
1/2 Orange Pepper chopped
100g Chorizo cubed
200g Chicken Thighs diced
300g Paella Rice
Pinch of Saffron
1 Ltr Chicken Stock
200g Frozen Peas
150g Prawns
1 Lemon in wedges

Firstly add the saffron to the stock and leave to infuse.  Heat the oil in a Paella pan or large frying pan.  Add the chopped onion and pepper and cook till soft.

Now add the choriza and cook till the red oil starts to release from the sausage then add the chicken peices,  Cook till the chicken becomes brown.

Next add the rice and stir to coat in oil.  Cook for a further minute then start adding the stock slowly.  Add enough stock to cover the rice and keep stirring.  Once the liquid has been absorbed add more stock. stiring all the while. Continue doing this till the rice has cooked.

When the rice is ready add the peas and prawns and cook for a further 5 minutes till they are cooked through and hot.

Serve with the lemon wedges for your guests to squeeze over and add even more zingy freshness. 

BUEN APETITO x

WELSH CAKES

There is a small shop in Cardiff Bay called Fabulous Welshcakes and as you pass by, the aroma emanating from inside is nothing but fabulous.  They make them on the premises while you watch so you can get them hot off the griddle.  Unfortunately Cardiff is a little too far for me to drop by as often I as would like so I have to make do with my own home made version.  They are so quick to put together that I think they make a perfect breakfast or mid afternoon snackeral.

(Makes 14)

250g Self Raising Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
100g Butter
85g Sugar
75g Currants
1 Egg beaten
Splash of Milk

In a bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and mixed spice

Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture till there are no lumps and it resembles fine breadcrumbs

Next stir in the sugar and currants.  Use a knife to stir in the beaten egg and bring the mixture together into a soft dough adding a little milk if needed.

Turn onto a floured surface and roll out to about 6cm or the thickness of your finger. Don't make them too thick, they will rise a little and you want to make sure they cook all the way through. Use a 6cm round cutter to cut out your cakes.

Heat an ungreased non stick frying pan or griddle over a medium heat and cook the cakes for 3 minutes on each side till golden and cooked through..

Transfer to a cooling rack and sprinkle with caster sugar. I sometimes don't bother with the sugar and have a little butter spread on them instead.