• New Reader
  • About
    • Introducing Dooney
    • Meet the team
    • Press and Media
    • Work with Us
  • Contact
  • The Tribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Dooney's Kitchen

Promoting and Redefining New Nigerian Food

  • Home
  • Features
    • Announcements
    • Corporate Collaborations
    • Product Reviews
    • Food Blogger Events
    • Business Spotlight
    • Hotel & Restaurant Reviews
    • Fitness and Nutrition
    • Market Reporting
    • Comment’s Policy
    • Copyright & Privacy Policy
  • Tricks & Cheats
    • Kitchen Gadget Tricks
    • How To’s
    • Food Plating Techniques
    • Cooking Video Hacks
  • Meal Planner
    • Meal Planner Archives
    • Hosting Menus
    • Festive Meal Planner
  • Food Diary
    • Dooney’s Food Travels
    • dooney’s shopping list
  • Recipeadia
    • Recipes by Culture
    • Recipe Collections
  • Ingredientspaedia

Rice Dishes

Seafood Paella

Today Dooney’s Kitchen is journeying to Spain, bringing you one of their most famous exports, Paella.  I read Isio Wanogho’s post, “Too White for your own good” on Bella Naija, and I found myself chuckling through the entire piece and the comments too. Why? I get told the exact same thing, to the point I have lost count of the times I have been told, you better marry a white man, because they are the only ones that will understand you. All this your persnickety (yes I used that word) attitude to many things, and your liberal view of the world, Nigerian men don’t have the time or patience for that. Most weren’t raised that way. Le Sigh.  When I moved to the UK, two people said, okay good, you are moving to live among your people. We always knew you didn’t belong here. WHAT!!!!! For someone who was born and raised in Nigeria, albeit to a well-travelled and enlightened family, I really don’t know where the coconut ideology came from. Why am I bringing this up in a post about Seafood Paella, it is very apt because wine is involved in its cooking.

I was at a restaurant with friends and one of the rare times I drink alcohol, the waiter poured the wine and I looked at the glass, swirled it, dipped my nose into the bowl, took a sip, held it there for a few seconds before I swallowed. Oh dear, I was told I was forming “posh”, who does that. Errrrr, that is how you drink wine. Like with many food items, wine in particular, you have to use all your senses to truly appreciate the flavour. The 4S rule. Oh, you may say rule, really with food but with some food, the rules are there to enhance your experience of consuming it. The 4S rule – Seeing, Swirling, Smelling and Sipping. I have attached a link which explains everything.

http://lifehacker.com/5970927/use-the-4-ss-to-become-a-wine-connoisseur

It is just sad that we black people don’t think that refinement is something we do, so it should only be left to white people. I told you guys in my cocktail post, I went for a swanky work do in The City once and was the only black person there but I knew my wine by location. The Wine Connoiseur there, some very famous man in the industry was shocked. He said it rarely happens that someone gets it right on the first try, and continually nails the location. I know part of the shock on his face and the other people there was because of who I am, especially with my Nigerian accent and not some “posh British public school accent”. So people, a little exposure doesn’t hurt, it makes for interesting conversation with people from all works of life and no one will be able to intimidate you or put you down. I can converse with the Boli seller on the street like we grew up together and in the next breath converse with the guy from Eton at a business luncheon. My parents made sure of that.

So of course, when I was going to choose the wine to cook this Paella, I let my taste memories decide, plus my knowledge of wine and food pairings. I picked a Sauvignon Blanc because it goes beautifully with Seafood. An Australian white to be specific. Not mentioning the name. I’ve been told to stop doing product placements for free. Someone once told me of a colleague of hers who quit her job because her weight loss and healthy lifestyle blog got so popular. She gets paid by companies to mention their products on her blog because when she does, those products fly off the shelves. Dooney’s Kitchen will get there one day, that I know and pray. Kenwood for one owes be a big fat cheque for all the free marketing I have done for them. Looooool.

Lets get to cooking, Paella truly is a treat. Give your family a different rice eating experience. For members of #teamfitfam, replace rice with Bulgur Wheat or Quinoa.

You will need

Paella rice – this is what makes it paella
Seafood Medley – I used tiger prawns, muscles, clams, squid, smoked cod
White wine
Ata rodo – scotch bonnet/habanero pepper
Olive oil – or any other vegetable oil 
Seasoning cubes
Jalapeño – I used this for colour and for heat
Chopped onions
Fish stock
Garlic
Ginger
A pinch of Saffron
Smoked Paprika – smoked dry pepper

How To

1. Prep all your ingredients, especially the seafood and the hot peppers.

IMG_8208_watermarked

cut to the sizes that you wish

IMG_8209_watermarked

Give the Mussels and Clams a good rinse, because they harbour dirt in their hidden corners

IMG_8210_watermarked

rinse the Tiger Prawns. Remember to leave the shell on. This is where the flavour is

IMG_8213_watermarked

Here’s the seasoning cube I used. Okay Knorr, pay up for product placement. Loool

IMG_8214_watermarked

Paella pan, very important. This iconic shape is crucial to how the Paella cooks. The heat is distributed evenly and you don’t stir at all. Very, very important. The rice should cook in the fish broth undisturbed. If you don’t have a Paella pan, let me whisper in secret between you and me, use a flat frying pan. Running away now before the Spanish people have my head for food sacrilege. Looool

IMG_8219_watermarked

Paella Rice – it is a type of rice that has a lot of starch and it is quite sticky. The Italian version is Aborio rice.

IMG_8222_watermarked

All the prepping done, time to cook.

2. Heat up olive oil in the paella pan, and sauté the onions, garlic, ginger and hot peppers till they soften and release their aroma.

IMG_8224_watermarked

3. Add the seafood, with the exception of the mussels and shake the pan, redistributing the heat, and allow the seafood to release their natural juices.

IMG_8227_watermarked

as soon as the prawns turn pink, you know you are good to go. Add a couple of splashes of white wine and allow the seafood to absorb its flavour. Unless you don’t drink for religious reasons, you can still cook with wine. The alcohol will burn off, leaving just the flavour

IMG_8228_watermarked

4. Add the fish stock. An easy way to get fish stock is to pour hot water unto the fish stock cube and let it dissolve.

IMG_8231_watermarked

turn down the heat and let it simmer gently.

IMG_8229_watermarked

5. Add the smoked paprika. This is for colour as well as flavour. A true Paella has a distinctive smokey flavour to it.

IMG_8232_watermarked

6. Add the threads of Saffron. This is the most expensive spice in the world, it is like gold. Vanilla comes second. I bought quite a lot of it on my holiday to Marrakech. Compared to the prices sold here, it was a steal. Luckily, with Saffron, you only need a little of it. Its flavour is quite strong, so just a pinch or two. It is also what gives Paella its signature orange colour. See the orange?

IMG_8234_watermarked

7. Add the muscles, clams and Paella rice. Use a wooden spoon to gently spread the rice across and leave it. You don’t stir Paella at all. You leave it to cook in the pan till it gets soft and you serve.

IMG_8236_watermarked

As the rice starts to cook, as expected, it will absorb the fish stock

IMG_8239_watermarked

A the stock is absorbed, the rice will cook and take on the orangey colour.

IMG_8257_watermarked

Paella is sticky rice dish, so don’t expect it turn out like our Jollof rice for example. It is soft, squishy, clumpy but not yucky soggy, so watch it closely. You may need to top up with water as it cooks, but again, do not stir.

IMG_8262_watermarked

8. Leave it to cook till all the stock has been absorbed and the rice has cooked through. I took this picture a couple of minutes before it cooked through completely, and forgot to take a picture when I took it from the heat, so pardon the extra stock you can see peeking out.

IMG_8260_watermarked

Try out Paella this weekend and invite the flavours of Spain into your home.

 


13 Comments

Subscribe

Get all the latest recipes straight to your inbox

FILED UNDER: Rice Dishes
TAGGED WITH:
Dooney

About Dooney

Dooney is the blogger, recipe developer and photographer for Dooney's Kitchen. I spend my days trying to figure out creative ways to redefine Nigerian food, either by creating a new dish itself using ingredients in ways that have never been used before, or changing the approach to Nigerian cooking using kitchen gadgets.

Related

If this is your first time commenting on Dooney's Kitchen, please take a moment to read our comment policy.

« Nkwobi
Iye Gbuyi’s Obe Imoyo »

Comments

  1. AvatarElsmama says

    June 6, 2014 at 2:18 pm

    Yum yum would try this soon im not a fan of rice that isnt rice normally but il step out of my comfort Zone, made seafood pasta and grilled tiger prawns today looovely lol. I hope Maggi does the right thing and compensate you,, its high time all this companies take responsibility and stop hiding behind agents. I remember a bank used my picture for a billboard advert without my consent same agent apology blah blah started the legal issue but medical student battling with exams etc at the time i just gave up

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 6, 2014 at 5:34 pm

      Oh wow, an you imagine that. A bank. Geez, these people. I hope Maggi does right, I really hope so. I hope you try this Paella out and let me know

      Reply
  2. AvatarKelly says

    June 6, 2014 at 6:56 pm

    Great recipe! Loving it.
    .

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 6, 2014 at 6:58 pm

      Thanks Kelly

      Reply
  3. Avatarbunmi says

    June 7, 2014 at 9:31 am

    Really yummy, will try it soon.

    Reply
  4. AvatarFateemah says

    June 9, 2014 at 6:37 pm

    Thank God the wine is not part of the ingredients. I can safely try out this dish. Looks interesting. Sure it tasted lush! 🙂

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 11, 2014 at 8:42 pm

      Oh yes, it was lush. Actually, wine is part of the ingredients. I left it out by accident. If you don’t drink alcohol, just replace with lots of fish stock

      Reply
  5. AvatarRuqoyyah says

    June 10, 2014 at 7:53 am

    Hi D,

    Please at what point did you use wine is this delicacy ?and I observed there’s no salt in the recipe,Will only the fish stock suffice?.Thanks for your all effort,well done sis.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 11, 2014 at 8:47 pm

      Hi, sorry for the late reply. I have amended the recipe now to show where wine was used. Sorry about the error

      Reply
  6. Avatarmufu says

    June 10, 2014 at 8:51 am

    Hi Donney ,

    please could you reply to my post on the puff puff , its the last post.

    thanks

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 11, 2014 at 8:48 pm

      Let me go check

      Reply
  7. AvatarBibi says

    June 10, 2014 at 1:24 pm

    I sincerely hope you get the recommendation due you! I hate to be cheated in anyway and bile just rose up my throat reading about it. Back to Paella- at what point does the wine go in? Secondly, can I use our regular rice? Best wishes and cheer!

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      June 11, 2014 at 8:41 pm

      If you use regular rice, it won’t be a paella, and it won’t have that characteristic stickiness from the starchy nature of paella rice, but it would still be a delicious dish

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ATTENTION: Please do not include links in your comments. Any comment that has a link in it will be destroyed on sight.

Oh Hi There

Hi, my name is Dunni Obata, and I am what you would call the poster child for redefining Nigerian food. Welcome to Dooney's Kitchen, the home of Nigerian centric food, detailed recipes and sharing personal stories. Read more...

Stay updated!

Get all the latest tasty goodness straight to your inbox!

Dooney's Kitchen
Dooney's Kitchen

Recent Comments

  • Margery on Alapa – my Grandmother’s Palm Oil Stew
  • Sean on The famous Ewa Aganyin – my journey to getting it right
  • Dooney on Puff Puff and Cocktails – a new era for our national favourite chops
  • Dooney on Edikaikong – A traditional Calabar recipe
  • Dooney on The Orange Eba

Must Reads

Introducing Our Thoughts and You

Meal Drop Off and Pick Up service

Sponsor

Popular Categories

  • Rice Dishes
  • Traditional Nigerian Soups
  • Stews
  • Yam, Plantain and Pottage Dishes
  • Snacks
  • Healthy Nigerian

Most Popular Recipes

Etinkeni Mmong Ikong

Ayamase – Ofada Stew

Party Jollof rice

Ogbono soup redefined!!!!

Buka Stew

Latest Recipes

The Battle of the Saucepans Begins on Knorr Taste Quest 4

Tomatoeless Stew

Yajichurri Meatballs Sauce and Linguine

Schwartz Uk Ebook – Jollof rice and Chicken Ayilata made the cut

STAY CONNECTED


@Dooneyskitchen

@DOONEYSKITCHENTRIBE

The Official Instagram page of the online community, Dooney's Kitchen Tribe. To showcase a collection of the best and yummiest pictures of our Tribers

FEATURED

myTaste.com myTaste.ng alldishes.co.uk Tasty Query - recipes search engine
Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs
Foodies100

Konga Verified Blogger

Get all the latest recipes straight to your inbox

Dooney’s Favourites

Asun (spicy smoked goat meat)

Vanilla Honeybean Milk

The Dooney’s Kitchen guide to amazing Puff Puff

Ugu Smoothie

Surf and Turf Otong Soup

Nigerian food, is bold, multi faceted, rich, colourful, spicy and with varied nuances, as you move from tribe to tribe. To describe Nigerian cooking, one would say it is fiercely traditional and somewhat dogmatic, but Dooney’s Kitchen proposes to simplify methods and steps that have been passed from generation to generation whilst also challenging some of these methods using Technology. The New Nigerian Cookery isn’t just about creating a New Nigerian Kitchen, or should we say a more technology aware Nigerian cooking experience, but it encompasses redefining recipes too. Come along on the journey, and welcome to one of the best online resources for Nigerian food.

Copyright © 2021· UNAUTHORISED USE OF ANY IMAGES OR CONTENT IS NOT ALLOWED. LEGAL REDRESS WILL BE SOUGHT AND I ALWAYS WIN

Copyright © 2021 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in