Traditional Paella

To prepare the seafood:

1. Rinse the clams under cold water and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle the clams with the salt, cover with cold water and soak for 2 hours to purges them of any grit. Drain and rinse.
2. Shell and devein the prawns, leaving the tails intact. Reserve shells. Scrub the mussels.

To make the stock:

1. Brown prawn shells in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan. Pour in chicken or fish stock, bring to the boil and simmer 20 minutes. Strain, add saffron and set aside till needed.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in paella pan, add the chicken and cook until browned. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the chorizo to the same pan and cook until browned; drain the chorizo on absorbent paper.

To make the sofrito (or picada, the key to a great paella):

1. Add the final 2 tablespoons oil to the pan, add the onion, capsicum, garlic, paprika and tomatoes to the same pan and cook, stirring, until soft.
2. Add the rice and stir until it is coated in oil. Return the chicken and chorizo to the pan.
3. Add the stock and saffron mixture and stir only until combined. DO NOT STIR AGAIN. Bring to the boil then simmer, uncovered, for about 12 minutes or until the rice is almost tender.
4. Sprinkle the peas over the rice and simmer, uncovered, for a further three minutes.
5. Place the clams, mussels and prawns over the rice mixture. Cover the pan with a large piece of foil and simmer, covered, for about five minutes or until the clams and mussels have opened and the prawns are just cooked through. Discard any shells that don’t open.
6. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
7. Not suitable to freeze.
8. Not suitable to microwave.