one pot dinner Archives - Salty Sweet Journeys

A beautiful one-pan dish that is PERFECT for your Christmas lunch or dinner! This Prawns and Chorizo Christmas Paella is colourful, full of flavour and loaded with so many fresh prawns! This is the main dish that is the centrepiece of many celebrations, and guaranteed to wow your guests.

Ingredients to make this Prawns and Chorizo Christmas Paella

Rice

For this recipe, I used Calasparra Paella Rice that you can purchase on Amazon HERE or you can find other brands of Bomba rice from your local delicatessen or specialty grocery stores.

Some common questions:

What rice can I use for paella?

The typical rice that is used for paella in Spain is generally the Bomba or Calasparra variety. Both of these rice types are grown in the south of Spain near Murcia, in the Calasparra region.

The main feature of Bomba and Calasparra rice is that it has a very high absorption rate. The rice can soak up all the flavours of the paella without losing its shape or falling apart. That is what makes Bomba or Calasparra rice perfect for Paella!

Can I use Arborio rice instead of Paella Rice?

You can, if you really can’t get a hold of Bomba Rice. The main difference here is that Arborio is much more of a creamy rice as it’s commonly used to make risotto, so the final result will be different texture wise.

Prawns

For this Prawn and Chorizo Paella, I used Australian fresh large green banana prawns. I usually buy them whole and raw. I boil them in salted water then cool them down immediately and generously top the paella with them. The more the better! You can use whatever prawn/shrimp type you prefer.

Chorizo

I used fresh chorizo sausages that I found at my local deli. I have found that it’s not easy to find authentic dried chorizo imported from Spain (unless you can find a Spanish / Latin American deli) and many of the chorizo versions I have tried lack a bit of depth of flavour with the garlic and paprika especially, hence why I add more of these ingredients in the recipe.

TIP: If you can get a hold of dried chorizo, halve the quantity as the flavour is generally stronger than in the sausages.

Saffron & Smoked Paprika

To give the rice the authentic yellow tinge and add some smokiness from the paprika.

Other ingredients needed

Onion
Garlic
Peppers
Green Peas
Water or Chicken / Vegetable Stock (I used water and stock cubes in the recipe)
Tinned Tomatoes
Lemon Wedges & Chopped Parsley to serve
Salt, Pepper & Olive Oil

Equipment needed: A Paella Pan!

For this recipe, I use my trusted 17 inch / 43 cm Carbon Steel Paella Pan. You can pick one up from Amazon, like THIS ONE, or from your local homeware store.

TIP: Don’t have a paella pan? A large pot will also work and you can serve the rice individually as you would a risotto and top with your garnishes.

For a smaller serving of the paella eg. for 4 people, you could also use a large cast iron skillet or pan and garnish it as you would a paella.

How to make this Prawns and Chorizo Christmas Paella

Cook the Prawns

First thing, to cook the prawns. Bring to the boil a large pot of generously salted water and boil the prawns for 4-5 minutes till cooked. Strain immediately and place in a bowl with some ice to cool and stop cooking. Set aside.

Fry the chorizo

Heat some olive oil in the paella pan over your largest burner over the stove and start by frying the sliced chorizo till golden and crispy for 5 minutes.

Add the vegetables

To the chorizo, add the garlic, peppers, and onions and fry gently while constantly stirring for 10 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper.

Add the rice, tinned tomatoes and stock

Once the vegetables have softened and caramelized, add the rice, the tinned tomatoes, and 800 ml of water (fill the tin from the tomatoes twice), Add the stock cubes, salt, paprika, and saffron and give everything a good stir.

Cook the rice gently

The rice will look very watery at this stage, once everything has started to bubble again, turn the heat to low and keep stirring from the edges of the pan to the middle, for 10 minutes. Make sure every grain of rice gets the same love to cook evenly.

After 10 minutes the rice should almost be cooked. The rice should still have a bite to it and you can add another cup of water to continue cooking while stirring for 4-5 minutes.

Add the peas

Add the peas and continue stirring. Give or take 1-2 extra minutes till the rice is cooked to your liking.

Add the prawns, garnish & serve

The paella is ready! Take it off the heat and top with lemon wedges (delicious squeezed over the rice), the cold prawns fresh chopped parsley, and some olive oil. Place it in the centre of the table and let everyone help themselves.

I promise there won’t be much left! Enjoy and hope it’s a spectacular Christmas!

Loved this Prawns and Chorizo Christmas Paella? Want more?

Love rice dishes? Then check out my recipes of Bacon Pumpkin Risotto & Pumpkin Arancini!

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Prawns and Chorizo Christmas Paella

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Servings 8 people

Equipment

1 17 inch Carbon Steel Paella Pan

Ingredients

800 gr Raw Prawns, shells on
3 Raw Chorizo Sausages (Sliced in 2 cm pieces)
2 Red Peppers (Diced)
6 Garlic Cloves (Thinly Sliced)
1 Red Onion ((1 large or 2 small), diced)
2 cups Rice (Bomba variety)
1 litre Water or Unsalted Chicken or Vegetable Stock
2 Stock Cubes
1 can Diced Tomatoes (400 g tin)
1 Pinch Saffron
1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 Cup Green Peas (Thawed)
1 Lemon (Cut into wedges)
1 bunch Parsley (finely chopped)
8 tbsp Extra virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt (and more to season if needed)
Ground Pepper (to taste)

Instructions

For the Prawns: Bring to the boil a large pot of generously salted water and boil the prawns for 4-5 minutes till cooked. Strain immediately and place is a bowl with some ice to cool and stop cooking. Set aside.
Heat 6 tablespoons of olive oil to the paella pan over your largest burner on the stove and start by frying the sliced chorizo till golden and crispy for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, peppers and onions and fry gently while constantly stirring for 10 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper.
Once the vegetables have softened and caramelized, add the rice and the tinned tomatoes and 800 ml of water or stock (fill the tin from the tomatoes twice).
Add the stock cubes, 1 teaspoon of salt, the paprika, saffron and give everything a good stir.
The rice will look very watery at this stage, once everything has started to bubble again, turn the heat to low and keep stirring in a circular motion from the edges of the pan to the middle, for 10 minutes. Make sure every grain of rice gets the same loving to cook evenly.
After 10 minutes the rice should almost be cooked. The rice should still have a bite to it and you can add another cup of water on continue cooking while stirring for 4-5 minutes.
Add the peas and continue stirring. Give or take 1-2 extra minutes till the rice is cooked to your liking. Season more if needed.
Take it off the heat and top with lemon wedges (delicious squeezed over the rice), the cold prawns and fresh chopped parsley and some olive oil. Place in the centre of the table and let everyone help themselves.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: spanish

Keyword: christmas food, christmas lunch, one pan dish, paella, prawns and chorizo

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I love a good risotto, and after making so many of them – when pumpkin season comes around this Bacon Pumpkin Risotto is the one I crave to eat! A warming fall recipe, this risotto is so creamy and lush. Every rice grain needs a bit of loving with the gentle stirring and the result is a wonderful dish that will make you want to go back for more!

Ingredients to make this Bacon Pumpkin Risotto

Pumpkin

Any type of pumpkin or squash will work well in this Bacon Pumpkin Risotto! I usually use Jap/Kent or Butternut.

Rice

For this Bacon Pumpkin risotto I used Arborio rice which is readily available at most supermarkets and perfect for risotti.

The other variety that you can use, that is actually even better but not in every supermarket – is the Carnaroli variety. It’s a slightly shorter rice which a higher starch content, which delivers an even creamier risotto!

Bacon

I used smoked bacon rashers. I find the smokiness is a nice addition to the delicate pumpkin flavour. You can use any type of bacon that you like, or omit all together if you prefer to have the dish meat free. Just note that you may need to add some additional salt to the rice as the bacon will add already some saltiness to the dish.

Chicken or Vegetable Stock, Salt

I usually make stock at home that I don’t add salt to right up until I use it. For this recipe of 3 cups of rice I used roughly 6 cups (1.5 lt / 60 oz) of unsalted chicken stock, and added 2 tsp of salt.

Depending on your stove, size of the pot and the heat you are cooking with, you may go through a bit more or less stock. If you find that you need more you can add more stock or water (half a cup at a time) during the cooking of the risotto.

If you don’t have stock on hand, replace it with chicken or vegetable stock cubes and the equivalent amount of water needed. Check the seasoning on the risotto as you cook as these are generally already salted and depending to your taste you might not need to add as much salt.

Other ingredients:

Sage & Parsley
Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano preferably)
Onion and Garlic
Freshly Ground Pepper, Butter & Olive Oil

How to make this Bacon Pumpkin Risotto

Make a soffritto

Get yourself a large pot with a lid and start off by making a soffritto.

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil to a large pot, add the chopped garlic and onion and over medium heat stir to cook gently, till softened for 4-5 minutes.

Cook the Bacon and Pumpkin

Once the onion and garlic have softened, add the chopped Pumpkin and Bacon and cook for around 10 minutes till the pumpkin begins to soften.

Add the rice and stock

Add the rice and stir with the pumpkin and bacon mixture till well coated for 1-2 minutes.

Optional step: Add the wine and combine with the rice for 1-2 minutes for additional depth of flavour!

Next, add half the stock, salt and chopped sage and continuously stir gently over low to medium heat for 10 minutes till the risotto begins to thicken.

Add more stock a ladle at the time and continue cooking for an additional 5-6 minutes. Add more water or stock if necessary if the pot looks too dry.

After around 15 minutes of cooking the risotto, the rice should mostly cooked through but still with a bit of bite to it.

Add Butter and Parmesan

add ins for the risotto before resting, parmesan, parsley and butter

With the heat still on, add the butter, parmesan, a few tablespoons of olive oil and chopped parsley. Check seasoning if to your liking and add some ground pepper.

Mix well with a wooden spoon till the cheese and butter is combined to the risotto for 1-2 minutes.

Rest the risotto & Serve

Turn the heat off, put the lid on the pot and let the risotto rest for 5 minutes. This will allow the risotto to continue cooking and become super creamy!

After 5 minutes of resting the bacon pumpkin risotto is ready to serve. Serve immediately with more parmesan and ground pepper. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions & Storage

I usually make a large batch of this Bacon and Pumpkin risotto recipe. 3 cups of raw Arborio Rice will make a generous 8-10 serves.

If you need to make less – you can halve the recipe. The cooking time for the rice will be the same.

When making a big batch of risotto like this I like to use any leftover to make Pumpkin Arancini, check out the recipe!

Any leftover risotto will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days and you can reheat it in the microwave with a few tablespoons of water. Just note that the consistency to eat this is the best when just made!

The risotto by itself in my opinion is not suitable for freezing. It has a large amount of liquid (both the rice and pumpkin) which alters the texture too much.

Loved this recipe? Want more?

Leftover risotto? Make these Pumpkin Arancini! Check out more of my rice recipes like this Prawn and Chorizo Paella.

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Bacon Pumpkin Risotto

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Servings 8 people

an easy, creamy warming dish

Equipment

1 Large Pot with lid

Ingredients

1 Small Onion (finely chopped)
3 Garlic Cloves (finely chopped)
500 gr (or about 4 cups) Chopped, Peeled and Deseeded Pumpkin (cut into 2-3 cm cubes)
3 Slices Bacon (Chopped)
3 cups Arborio Rice (or Carnaroli variety)
half cup Dry white wine ((optional))
1.5 lt (or 60 oz) Vegetable or Chicken Stock
2 tsp Salt
10 Sage Leaves (finely chopped)
Handful Parsley Leaves (finely chopped)
4 tbsp Grated Parmesan (plus some more to serve)
2 tbsp Butter
6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Ground Pepper (to taste)

Instructions

In a large pot with a lid and start off by making a soffritto. Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil to a large pot, add the chopped garlic and onion and over medium heat stir to cook gently till softened for 4-5 minutes.
Once the onion and garlic have softened, add the chopped Pumpkin and Bacon and cook for around 10 minutes till the pumpkin begins to soften.
Add the rice and stir with the pumpkin and bacon mixture till well coated for 1-2 minutes. Optional step: Add the wine and combine with the rice for 1-2 minutes for additional depth of flavour!
Next, add half the stock, salt and chopped sage and continuously stir gently over low to medium heat for 10 minutes till the risotto begins to thicken. Add more stock a ladle at the time for an additional 5 minutes. Add more water or stock if necessary if the pot looks too dry. After the 15 minutes of cooking, the rice should mostly cooked through but still with a bit of bite to it.
With the heat still on, add the butter, parmesan, a few tablespoons of olive oil and chopped parsley. Check seasoning if to your liking and add some ground pepper. Mix well with a wooden spoon till the cheese and butter is combined to the rice for 1-2 minutes.
Turn the heat off, put the lid on the pot and let the risotto rest for 5 minutes. This will allow the risotto to continue cooking and become super creamy! After 5 minutes the bacon pumpkin risotto is ready to serve. Serve immediately with more parmesan and ground pepper.

Notes

Stock and salt amount: For this recipe of 3 cups of rice I use roughly 6 cups (1.5 lt / 60 oz) of unsalted chicken stock, and added 2 tsp of salt. Depending on your stove, size of the pot and the heat you are cooking with, you may go through a bit more or less stock. If you find that you need more you can add more stock water (half a cup at a time) during cooking. If you don’t have stock on hand replace it with chicken or vegetable stock cubes and the equivalent amount of water needed. Check the seasoning on the rice as these are generally already salted and depending to your taste you might not need to add as much salt.

Servings: I usually make a large batch of this Bacon and Pumpkin risotto recipe – 3 cups of Arborio Rice will make a generous 8-10 serves. If you need to make less – you can halve the recipe. The cooking time for the rice will be the same.

Storage: Any leftover risotto will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days and you can reheat it – but the consistency to eat is best when just made! The risotto by itself in my opinion is not suitable for freezing. It has a large amount of liquid (both the rice and pumpkin) which alters the texture too much!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy dinner, one pot meals, risotti

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