Prawn and Chorizo Paella-Style Rice

About This Recipe

This one-pot rice dish reflects how thoroughly Spanish and Mediterranean cooking techniques have been absorbed into Australian coastal home cooking, particularly around the country's abundant fresh prawns. Chorizo is cooked first to render its paprika-red fat, which becomes the base the rice cooks in, picking up color and smoky flavor before any stock is added. The rice is toasted briefly in the chorizo fat, then simmered in stock without stirring, which lets a light crust called socarrat form on the bottom of the pan, a texture prized in proper paella and worth the patience to achieve. Prawns are added only in the final few minutes since they cook fast and turn rubbery if added too early. Finished with a squeeze of lemon and a scatter of parsley, this dish captures a lot of paella's character in a simpler, more forgiving format suited to a home stovetop rather than a wide paella pan over an open flame.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 lbraw prawns(peeled and deveined)
• 0.5 lbchorizo(sliced)
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1yellow onion(diced)
• 1red bell pepper(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1.5 cupsshort-grain rice
• 1 tspsmoked paprika
• 0.25 tspsaffron threads(optional)
• 3 cupsseafood or chicken stock
• 1 cupfrozen peas
• 1lemon(cut into wedges)
• 0.25 cupfresh parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Render the chorizo

   Heat oil in a wide, shallow pan over medium heat. Cook chorizo 4-5 minutes until it releases its red-tinted fat.

2. 2

   Build the base

   Add onion and bell pepper and cook 7-8 minutes until soft, then add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

3. 3

   Toast the rice

   Stir in rice, smoked paprika and saffron if using, cooking 2 minutes to coat the grains in the chorizo fat.

4. 4

   Add stock

   Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer without stirring.

   Don't stir the rice once the stock is added — leaving it undisturbed is what allows a crisp socarrat crust to form on the bottom.

5. 5

   Simmer

   Cook uncovered for 15-18 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is nearly tender.

6. 6

   Add prawns and peas

   Nestle the prawns into the rice and scatter peas over the top. Cook 5-6 minutes more until the prawns turn pink and opaque.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Let the pan rest off heat for 5 minutes, then serve with lemon wedges and a scatter of parsley.

Variations

• •

  Add mussels or squid for a fuller seafood mix.

• •

  Skip the chorizo for a lighter seafood-only version, using extra smoked paprika for depth.

• •

  Use brown rice for a heartier, higher-fiber version, adjusting the liquid and cooking time upward.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a covered skillet with a splash of stock over low heat; seafood dishes don't freeze particularly well.

Frequently Asked Questions