The ambassador of Spain Celsa Nuno and her husband Alex Crowther opened their well-appointed Norbrook home Saturday last, to friends and associates for a piano recital that featured David Gomez. Post recital guests enjoyed an excellent buffet supper prepared by the ambassador's staff. The menu offerings were varied and all tasty. It was the paella however, that great dinner party dish with vibrant colours and abundance of ingredients that forced us to not only partake but to leave with both the images and recipe.

Enjoy!

(Photos: Lionel Rookwood)

Captions: # 1504 Tamara Hill, herself a superb hostess and cook helps herself to the paella.

# 1505/1506 The visual appeal of paella make sit hard to resist.

SPANISH PAELLA

Serves between 6-8 persons

Ingredients

o 170g/6oz chorizo, cut into thin slices

o 2 cloves garlic finely chopped

o 570ml/1pint calasparra (Spanish short-grain) rice (similar to Arborio rice)

o 1.3 litres chicken stock, heated with _ tsp saffron strands

o 8 chicken thighs, each chopped in half and browned

o 18 small clams, cleaned

o 110g/4oz fresh or frozen peas

o 4 large tomatoes, de-seeded and diced

o 125ml/4fl oz good olive oil

o 12 jumbo raw prawns, in shells

o Salt

Method

Heat half the olive oil in a paella dish or heavy-based saucepan. Add the chorizo and fry until crisp. Add the garlic and heat until softened. Add the rice, and stir until all the grains of rice are nicely coated and glossy. When it is bubbling pour in the hot chicken stock, add the chicken thighs and cook for 5-10 minutes.

Place the clams into the dish with the join facing down so that the edges open outwards. Sprinkle in the peas and chopped tomatoes and continue to cook gently for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a separate pan and add the prawns. Fry quickly for a minute or two then add them to the paella..

Serve immediately.