Chorizo and Prawn Jollof Paella

Method

1. Blend the tomatoes, bell pepper, chili and half the onion until smooth. Finely chop the rest of the onion and the garlic. Devein the prawns, pat them dry and salt them lightly. Do not wash the rice: its starch helps the crust form.

   Add in this stepRipe tomatoes 2Red bell pepper 1Scotch bonnet chili (or habanero) ¼Onion 1Garlic cloves 2Prawns, peeled with tails on 160 gSalt to taste

2. Heat the olive oil in a 28 cm paella pan (or your widest frying pan) over medium heat and fry the chorizo for 3 min until it releases its red oil, then lift it out. Add the prawns to the same oil for 2 min, just until both sides turn pink, and lift them out too. They can still be raw in the middle.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil 2 tbspChorizo, sliced 5 mm thick 80 g

   medium heat

3. In the same pan fry the chopped onion, garlic, tomato paste and green beans over medium heat for 4 min. Add the blended sauce, smoked paprika, curry powder and thyme, turn up to medium-high heat and cook down for 8 min, stirring. It is ready when the sauce is thick and red oil shows at the edges.

   Add in this stepTomato paste 1½ tbspGreen beans, cut into 3 cm lengths 60 gSmoked paprika 1 tspCurry powder ½ tspDried thyme ½ tsp

   medium heat→medium-high heat

4. Pour in the hot stock, bring it to the boil and taste: season until the liquid tastes slightly too salty. Scatter the rice evenly over the pan, give it one shake to level it, and from now on do not stir at all. Boil over high heat for 5 min, then turn down to medium-low heat and cook for 13 min. If the pan is bigger than your burner, rotate it every 2 to 3 minutes so it cooks evenly.

   Add in this stepChicken stock, hot 480 mlSalt to tastePaella rice (bomba, or another short-grain rice) 150 g

   high heat→medium-low heat

5. Press the chorizo and prawns lightly into the rice, cover with foil and cook over low heat for 5 min. It is done when nearly all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice has just the tiniest bite in the centre.

   low heat

6. Remove the foil, turn up to medium-high heat and leave it for 1 min 30 sec. A crackling sound and a toasty smell mean the socarrat (the crisp bottom layer) is forming. Turn off the heat before it smells burnt.

   medium-high heat

7. Cover with a clean tea towel or foil and leave for 5 min. Scatter over the parsley, add the lemon wedges and serve straight from the pan. Squeeze the lemon just before eating to brighten the heat.

   Add in this stepFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 tbspLemon, cut into wedges ½