Duckin Chicken Paella

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We hate paella! We think it’s because after nearly ten years of having paella thrust at us every Sunday, and public holiday (of which there are many) we had had just about enough of it.

However, having said that, there is one form of paella that we do like very much. Gazpacho paella is a form of paella that uses a cracker biscuit instead of rice to soak up the liquid in which the meat is cooked. The crackers soak up the rich gravy in which the meat and vegetables are slowly cooked and make a delicious soppy soup, thick and slightly chewy.

Sheila’s favourite meat is duck. Preferably duck breast, grilled in butter and soy sauce. My favourite meat is chicken breast, tender, succulent and melt in the mouth texture.

So, we thought, why not combine our favourite meats with choice vegetables and make a paella that we both will love – and that’s how ‘Duckin Chicken Gazpacho Paella’ was created.

You can, of course use whatever meat you prefer. As we live in Valencia, the traditional chicken and rabbit would be the ideal choice for paella. But we decided to use our own personal favourites for this dish.

To start the dish, use a large skillet, paella pan or casserole and brown the meat in a little olive oil. We used four chicken thighs and a duck leg for this dish. Chop the duck leg into 1 inch pieces. A duck breast would be much better, skin and fat removed.

Once browned all over and half cooked, set the meat aside.

In the same pan that the meat was cooked, fry 1 large onion, roughly chopped and three sticks of celery, roughly chopped, chop the leaves and add these as well. If desired, you can also add red & green sweet peppers.

Add pepper to taste. When the onions are translucent and just starting to colour, add 1 litre of chicken stock and a Knor chicken pot. If you have fresh rosemary add two large sprigs, if not a teaspoon of mixed herbs will suffice.

Add frozen butter beans and white beans. You can also add frozen green beans if desired.

Add the meat and cook slowly for about 30 minutes until the meat is cooked through and the liquid is starting to thicken.

Now it is time for the crackers. In Spain we can buy proper ‘Gazpacho Manchego’ biscuits, specially made for the dish. In England, simply use ‘Jacobs Cream Crackers’, broken into 1 inch pieces.

Cover the surface of the sauce with the biscuits and allow them to soak up the liquid.

When the biscuits are soggy and soft it’s time to serve.