If you are reading this you have decided to join us on our culinary adventure exploring family cooking recipes and getting kids cooking! Either that or you have stumbled on our site looking to purchase a family sized kitchen in Tooting, in which case sorry…I can’t help, but in both cases…welcome!
It was a tough call deciding on a country from where to kick off our adventure of recipes from around world, but Spain just seemed the obvious choice. Not only is its cuisine vibrant, colourful, rich and rustic, but it also revolves around the family, socialising and sharing, and cooking with the family is what this is all about – I love the fact we can go out for a meal at 8pm in many parts of Spain with the family in tow and it not be strange! Spain is by far the most popular destination for us Brits to visit (outside of lockdown) and one, I’m sure most, if not all people reading this, have or will visit and enjoy…what a great start point to get kids cooking and to check out one of the worlds most famous family cooking recipes.
Family Cooked Spanish Paella
Our Spanish food inspiration took us through many Spanish regional recipes but it was inevitable that we would cook arguably the jewel in this beautiful countries gastronomic crown, the ‘paella’, a dish that’s various recipes will be the cause of controversy region to region; town to town and house to house. Whether to use meat, seafood or both; what stock to use; wine or sherry or neither; chicken, rabbit, snails or pork? These are all likely to cause more heated debate than can be found in a Barcelona tapas bar in the hours preceding ‘El Clasico’ (and if you are not aware of El Clasico you will learn something today)! Some things however are undisputed and a Spanish paella, unlike a risotto, must be dryer with the rice al-dente, crisping up at the edges of the pan and sticking to the bottom. These sticky bits of heaven are highly coveted and it’s worth saving some room to mop them up with a final squeeze of lemon and some crusty bread…this is Spanish family cooking at it’s very best!
Most Spanish regional recipes will contain saffron but in my mind this is a little unnecessary and you are better off spending your money on better quality chicken or vegetables and using colorante or turmeric, but be careful not to use too much or get on your clothes. In our family paella recipe we use boneless chicken thighs so do extend cooking times for bone in chicken or rabbit. Do also experiment with the stock – I was informed that the magic ingredient of one of my favourite paellas was beer, which I have used here (and sometimes use for steaming mussels), but you can use wine or fish stock or get super sophisticated and flambe the meat with brandy in the pan…you could even add some squid ink which the kids will be sure to enjoy and is a great way to get kids cooking and get them eating more adventurous food.
Children's fact finding...
So before we get to our family cooking recipe and you crack open that chilled San Miguel or pour that Rioja – an interesting fact; a capital and a fun fact for the kids to learn (answers next week)!
- On average how many people from the UK visit Spain every year?
- What is the capital of Spain?
- ‘El Clasico’ is a sporting event between which 2 Spanish football teams?
What’s in it…
4 x tbsp olive oil (extra virgin makes a difference)
250g Chorizo
2 onions, chopped
6 x cloves of crushed garlic
4 chopped chicken thighs
2 x red peppers
500g paella rice
2 x tsp colorante or turmeric
2 x tsp of chopped thyme
2 x tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
1lt of chicken stock
500 ml of beer
Couple of handfuls of large shell on prawns
Couple of large handfuls of mussels (soaked and scrubbed)
Half a glass of white wine
1 cup of frozen peas
2 x lemons
2 x handfuls of chopped parsley
What to do with it…
- In a large paella pan (if you don’t have one a large frying pan/skillet will do), gently fry the chorizo for a couple of minutes until browned. Remove to some kitchen paper leaving the rendered fat and supplementing with some oil if necessary and gently fry the onions for a couple of minutes until softened. Add the garlic and continue to fry for 2 mins before adding the chicken until it’s starting to brown.
- Mix in the peppers; tomatoes; thyme, paprika and seasoning, continuing to fry for 2 minutes and then add the chorizo and paella rice ensuring the rice is coated and continue cooking for another minute
- Carefully add the stock and beer and gently mix ensuring the rice and mixture is evenly spread across the pan and then leave to simmer for 15 minutes without stirring.
- Whilst the rice is simmering heat another pan (with a lid), with some oil and sauté the prawns for a couple of minutes until turning pink (lid off), remove and leave to one side and pour in a couple of glugs of white wine. Toss in the mussels and leave to steam with the lid on for 3 or 4 minutes or until the shells open discarding any that don’t.
- After the paella rice has been simmering for 15 minutes scatter the peas and place the mussels and prawns evenly (and artistically) over the paella dish pushing down slightly.
- Continue to cook until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and you can see the crust starting to appear around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the lemon wedges around the dish; toss with chopped parsley and leave to rest for 3 or 4 minutes before serving with a green salad and some crusty bread – keeping some back for those sticky bits!
Our family cooked recipe for our Spanish paella
Getting the kids involved with a kids seafood lesson!
Planning and cooking with the family!
Our Spanish paella family recipe bubbling away after 10 mins
Our family cooked Spanish paella
Week 1 of our International Food Ideas
Thank you Spain - what a great place to start our family cooking adventure
We hope you enjoyed the first of our family cooking recipes from around the world and family cooked Spanish paella went down a treat! Head to our Homepage to check out our other destinations!
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See you next week for our trip to Japan.
Stay safe,
Tooting Family Kitchen.
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