Many people have told me that they’ve experienced disasters with paella recipes mainly due to rice still lying in the water/stock which makes the dish too soggy. I’ve never had any problem with this dish thanks to the lesson I learned from Emilio at Bar Victoria in Miraflores de la Sierra, a village in the Sierra de Guadarrama just outside Madrid.

Shrimp sautéed in olive oil, with a brandy sauce flavoured with garlic shallots and oregano. Great served with a rice pilaf and salad! INGREDIENTS (for 4 servings): 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 1/2 pounds fresh shrimp, shelled and deveined without tails 1/2 [...]

Dough: 1 cup lukewarm water (110 degrees) 2 packages yeast 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon olive oil Pesto: 1 cup olive oil 2 cups fresh basil leaves 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3 tablespoons pine nuts 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 [...]