Think paella is difficult? Think again. This take on the classic Spanish meal is cheap, easy and super tasty! Pair with a garlic and lemon aioli for a delicious summer or autumn meal.

Because we’re in Spain, I couldn’t stay here without making arguably the most Spanish dish of all: the paella.

The first paella was made in Valencia, and is made with rabbit, beans and…snails! Thankfully, there are many different types of paella nowadays. My favourite has to be seafood paella, but it is hard (and expensive) to find fresh seafood to put into it. Therefore, I’ve swapped shellfish for beautifully flaky cod, which pairs beautifully with the chorizo.

Note: if you want a vegan paella, you can remove the fish and the chorizo and still have a really really tasty dish. Consider adding some of your favourite vegetables to make it more vibrant.

Apparently, in Spain, you’re not supposed to put chorizo in your paella, but I think that it adds a great flavour to the meal, and it goes so well with cod.

To make a proper paella, you need the right rice. Most supermarkets will label the right rice as simply ‘paella rice’, but it is also called ‘bomba’ rice or ‘Valencia’ rice, and you need it to make a really good paella.

Another very important rule of paella cooking is DO NOT STIR. I did this once, and it broke the rice down and turned it into a mush. You need to keep the pan on a low heat and let it gently simmer away. If you have to stir the pan, gently shake the pan rather than stirring the rice directly.

To create a truly authentic paella, you need what is known as a ‘socarrat’. This is the slightly burnt, crisp bottom of a paella that is a must in any proper paella. The good news is, you don’t need to do anything to achieve this. As long as you don’t stir the paella, it should form during the cooking process.

If you are looking for a cheap, fuss-free and really tasty meal, this is the dish for you. Serve with either a homemade lemon aioli or a fuss-free lemon mayonaise (I’ve included recipes for both) and a pint of cold beer. Enjoy!

Cod & Chorizo Paella Recipe

Servings: A big portion for 2 or a lunch for 4

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients for paella

• 300g paella rice
• Olive oil for cooking
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic glove, finely diced
• 70g of chorizo
• 2-3 fillets of fresh cod
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 500ml of chicken/vegetable stock
• 100g frozen peals
• A handful of cherry tomatoes
• 12 strands of saffron (optional)
• Teaspoon of paprika
• Seasoning
• Handful of fresh parsley (optional)

How to cook a paella Easily

1. Begin by setting the oven to 180 degrees (C). Season the cod fillets with salt, pepper, paprika and any other mixed herbs. Wrap in foil and put into the oven for around 15 minutes. Once cooked, take out and leave on the side for later.
2. If you have decided to use saffron, put about 12 strands into a bowl and pour a splash of boiling water over the strands. Leave for 30 mins to let the flavour of the saffron infuse with the water.
3. Pour a tbsp of olive oil into a large frying pan that has sides. Finely dice the onion and cook on a medium heat until they start to soften. Add the garlic, chorizo and sliced pepper and cook for a couple of minutes.
4. Season the veg with paprika, salt and pepper. Pour over the paella rice and add the saffron. Mix the rice with the spices and the veg for a couple of minutes so that it soaks up the flavour.
5. Add the stock, all in one go. Give the pan a shake to distribute everything evenly. Leave to simmer. If you find the rice has soaked up all of the stock but isn’t cooked, add a bit more water, but not too much: you don’t want mushy rice.
6. Once the rice is about 5 mins away from being cooked, add the frozen peas so that they can cook. Just before the rice is cooked, flake the cod into the paella and let it heat up. If you want to cook the cod in the paella, it will need about 15 minutes.
7. Check to see if the rice is cooked. Turn the heat off, add a handful of chopped parsley, salt and lemon wedges around the edge.

Tip: although this sounds like a lot of processes, it really is just watching the rice boil that takes the most time. While it’s cooking, make the aioli.

How to make Lemon and garlic aioli

There are two ways to make this: with a whisk or with an immersion blender. I’m including an immersion blender recipe because it takes a lot of work to whisk, so you may as well use shop-bought mayonaise (recipe below).

Ingredients for aioli

• 1 large free-range egg
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 200ml vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp lemon

How to make immersion blender aioli

1. Crack one large egg into a mason jar/tall glass/medium jug. Whatever you use, make sure that it just fits an immersion blender in.
2. Add the garlic, mustard, salt and lemon juice on top of the egg. Then, pour the oil in. Be careful not to disturb the egg.
3. Carefully submerge the immersion blender till it reaches the egg. Blast for about 20 seconds, or until the jar starts to turn white. Gradually move the immersion blender up till all of the oil is blended.

How to make a quick aioli

1. Put 4 tbsp of mayo into a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of lemon, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, salt and mustard. Mix.