Seafood & Chorizo Paella for an easy impromptu dinner party
Paella probably isn’t the dish that comes to mind when you’re having an impromptu dinner party, but it should be. I can understand why you would first look at a pan of paella so beautifully decorated with shellfish, with its brilliant colours and immediately put it in the ‘too hard’ basket but this dish is seriously easy to make – I’m talking 1 pan (I used a wok actually) and no sore risotto arm. Easy 
The other week, Mikee and I had Paul and Marcela over for an unplanned dinner party so we decided to cook a seafood and chorizo Paella adapted from Bill Granger’s Every Day. I’m not going to offend any Spanish people out there and say that this recipe is a true Valencian paella, because it’s not. But it’s pretty darn close to some of the better paella I have tasted in my travels to Spain!
Paul said that his mother (who is known in the Barbera circles as a very fine cook) makes paella often but this one could even vie for that number 1 position! Although, he may have just said that to be polite 
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
80 ml Olive Oil
1 thinly sliced Chorizo Sausage
200 g French shallots sliced
sea salt
2 crushed Garlic Cloves
2 teaspoons sweet Paprika
¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
500 g Calasparra paella rice (or use arborio rice)
400 g tinned Tomatoes chopped
½ teaspoon Saffron soaked in 1 tablespoon water (or powdered)
1 red Capsicum roasted, peeled and thinly sliced
1¼ Litres chicken stock
300 g chopped green beans (in halves or thirds)
13 large raw Prawns peeled and deveined, tails left intact
300 g black Mussels beards removed
2 tablespoons chopped Flat-leaf parsley
Ground black Pepper
Method:
1) Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2) Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–7 minutes until it is crisp.
3) Remove from the pan and set aside.
4) Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil to the pan.
5) Add the shallots and sprinkle with sea salt.
6) Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until soft.
7) Add the garlic, paprika and cayenne and cook, stirring, for another minute.
8) Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with oil.
9) Add the tomatoes, saffron, pepper and stock.
10) Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes until the rice is almost tender.
11) Add the beans, prawns and mussels and return the chorizo to the pan.
12) Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the mussels have opened and the prawns are cooked through (discard any mussels that haven’t opened after this time).
13) Stir through the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4-6
I want to go to a party at your house! This sounds so goood, and you make it sound easy to make, maybe even I could put this together, thanks for sharing!
And if you can’t you can always get your bf to
Thanks for this quick and simple recipe. Paella always sounds so complcated I never want to attempt it! Yours sounds great!
My pleasure
if you try it, please do let me know how it goes!
that is an amazing paella
i made one before too and i didn’t realize how creative we can get to making a paella. i’m gonna make one for christmas lunch too 
yup, the great thing about the dish is you can substitute many of the ingredients depending on what you have in the fridge
I definitely wouldn’t have filed Paella under “easy” before, but you’ve succeeded in simplifying this fabulous dish! Thanks for this post. Going to have to try it your way because it looks delicious!
<3Marea @www.TheFoodieFixx.blogspot.com
Hi Marea, it’s all about the dot points
let me know how you get on with it
I wouldn’t have thought to make paella for a quick dinner party, but you’ve proved that it’s possible! Great recipe and such a beautiful photo.
Thanks Jeanne
yes, it’s very easy as long as you can get all the ingredients…the hardest thing to get is probably mussels at short notice, but luckily my local supermarket sells them…
I have never eaten paella…is that weird? This looks and sounds incredible, I love chorizo!
really? this is more reason than ever to try it!!!
Jenny! Your paella looks smashing! Kudos… And I’m also a fan of Bill Granger’s…
he’s my favourite
Every single one of his recipes works a treat! His restaurants in Sydney are also great if you ever get the chance to go 
Looks like a wonderful Paella and I love your Blog. Nice clean layout and great recipes. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
It was very nice
Thanks for the kind words too!
What a beautiful paella dish…so elegant with some fantastic flavor combinations!
thank you!
This looks superb! A definite one-pot crowd pleaser!
What a delicious pealla dish… And a beautiful photo!.. Luna
thanks luna! and thx for dropping by too
I have yet to eat a great paella. And you’re right — paella always does seem like a major ordeal to make. But, it shouldn’t. Who doesn’t appreciate one pan wonders?! :p
well now’s your chance! If you get around to trying it, make sure you let me know
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Oh this is one of my favorite meals ever! Nice work!
OMG, this paella looks amazing. It’s even better looking than the real spanish paella I had in Spain.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Your picture is making my mouth water! I’ve never had paella but this certainly makes me want to try it!
your paella looks delish!!!! chorizo + seafood = more authentic! and i love your photography of your paella!
Looks absolutely delicious.
Oh my gosh, this looks absolutely amazing!!! Umm, correction, ALL of your posts/recipes look absolutely amazing!
I’m a veg, but these deff get my mouth salivating lol! Great photos
Yum! I love paella but don’t make it often enough… Since I’m craving seafood and the Mr loves chorizo, I imagine we’ll be able to compromise (or just pick out the best bits each)!