Hervey Bay Seafood Festival

The Hervey Bay Seafood Festival is a great one-day event that turns its foreshore into one big party venue.

And it’s on again this year, on Saturday 13th August.

In honour of the occasion, we asked Fraser Coast Ambassadors – and MKR champions – Dan and Steph, to whip us up something that features the best of local seafood – Paella, of course!

Here is their delicious recipe which you can try for yourself!

INGREDIENTS

• • 2 cups of Arborio rice
  • 1-1.5L salt reduced chicken stock
  • 6 saffron threads
  • 2 tbs of olive oil
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 4 Dan & Steph Three Aussie Farmer “Classic Aussie Banger” sausages mince only
  • 1 brown onion, finely diced
  • 3 garlic gloves, finely diced
  • 1 red capsicum, diced into chunky pieces
  • 1 cup of frozen peas, defrosted
  • 1 tbs of smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp of cayenne pepper
  • 2 lemons, wedged for serving
  • ½ – 1 cup flat parsley
  • 12 green prawns, peeled & deveined
  • 2 green bugs, cut in half & cleaned
  • Salt & pepper to season

Method

1. In a saucepan heat up chicken stock with saffron threads, keep on low heat & warm
2. Coat pan with olive oil & bring to high heat
3. Add sausage mince, capsicum & onion to hot pan & allow to cook until onion is soft & sausage mince is caramelising
4. Add garlic, tomato, paprika & cayenne – cook quickly for a couple of minutes
5. Stir through the Arborio rice & coat well
6. Then add 2 ladles of warm chicken stock & stir, allow paella to then sit & absorb
7. Once you start to see the stock reducing, continue to add 1 ladle at a time, continue this process until the rice is cooked, the paella will become creamy
8. Once the rice is almost cooked, add the bugs & prawns, push them into the rice, allowing them to cook in the heat & sauce
9. Once the rice & seafood is cooked, add salt & pepper to taste
10. Add peas & a good squeeze of lemon juice
11. Add chopped parsley to the top & lemon wedges to serve