La Rioja is primarily wine country but produces great cheese and dabbles in food. It is also home to the La Rioja Paella that’s made with snails, beans and sherry! One of the most important utensils in the preparation of this dish is the pan because it serves to both cook and serve the dish. The Riojan paella differs from it’s Valencian sister in only one way –  it make use of the local produce and there’s no sea food.  For those of you that loathe seafood or are unable to eat it for health or religious purposes – this is surely the answer to your paella cravings!

Ingredients

• 400 g Spanish paella rice
• 800 g chicken thighs (or breasts if you prefer dry meat), cut into smallish pieces with all lose ends removed
• 550 g rabbit, also cut into small sections
• 125 g Spanish chorizo cut into chunky slices
• 4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 pimientos, peeled and cut into strips
• 2 lemons, sliced into wedges
• 12  vaquetas snails
• 400 g  garrofo white beans
• 200 g haricot bean (or tavella)
• 300 g or wide green bean (ferraura type)
• 250 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• 125 ml dry sherry
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tsps  hot paprika
• Few springs fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp Saffron strands
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large paella pan and then add the chopped onions, pimientos, garlic, chillies and rosemary.
• Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes until the onions begin to soften, season the chicken and the rabbit with salt and pepper and add to the pan along with the chorizo and paprika.
• Fry, stirring frequently, over a high heat to lightly seal the meat.
• Add the rice and mix well with all the other ingredients to ensure that each grain of rice is coated in oil, pour in the sherry and allow it to evaporate before adding around a litre of boiling water.
• Reduce the heat, bring the liquid to a simmer and sprinkle on the saffron, stirring well to combine it with everything well.
• Add the tomatoes and season well, simmering for about 15 minutes and stirring well to prevent the rice from sticking, but not too much.
• Add the snails, topping up with more boiling water if necessary, and stir through so that they are submerged.
• Cook for a few minutes over a medium heat and then stir in the peas and season to taste.
• Take the pan off the heat, cover with foil and leave the rice to stand for 5 minutes.
• Garnish, sprinkle with a handful of chopped parsley and arrange the lemon wedges around the pan