A Paella recipe with a Maltese twist, prepared by the pros
Serves 6-8
Prep time 60 mins
Ingredients
400g arborio rice
1ltr chicken stock
150ml dry white wine
15g Spanish paprika
Few saffron threads
2 small onions – finely chopped
4 garlic cloves – grated
Fresh thyme
30ml olive oil
Salt and pepper
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2 lobsters (cooked for 3 minutes in a court-bouillon and refreshed in iced water)
8 king prawns
1 rabbit – cut into 8 pieces
1 octopus, par-cooked and cut into eight pieces
2 sweet red peppers, roasted, peeled and cut into strips
8 baby aubergines – cut into wedges
Method
Heat the oil in a large pot add the onion and soften for 5 mins. Stir in the paprika, saffron and thyme allow to infuse and add the rice, stir for a few minutes, then splash in the wine, once it has evaporated add the stock. Season and cook over a low flame, uncovered, for about 10 mins, stirring now and again until rice is almost tender and still surrounded with some liquid.
Heat a pan and in some olive oil brown the rabbit pieces until golden, deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine and cook over covered for 25 minutes. Add the paella at the last 5-7 minutes of cooking.
Cut the lobsters in half and dress with olive oil, season with salt & pepper. Lightly fry the aubergines in olive oil until golden brown and drain off excess oil.
Once the paella is almost done, add the octopus, prawns, aubergines, peppers, rabbit pieces and lobster, stir in and cook until liquid has evaporated. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.
