Rice for a Crowd

Wash and dry 200 g flat green beans (ferraúra), top and tail them and cut them into short lengths.

Wash 2 ripe tomatoes, scald them in boiling water for a few seconds and peel, then grate the flesh on a box grater.

Season 450 g chicken, chopped into small pieces on the bone and 300 g rabbit, chopped into small pieces on the bone with salt and black pepper. Heat 100 ml extra virgin olive oil in the paella pan and brown the meat well on every side.

Push the meat to the edges, add the green beans to the centre and fry them in the oil. Add 5 ml sweet paprika (pimentón dulce), lower the heat and stir for a few seconds so it does not burn.

Quickly add the grated tomato before the paprika catches and fry it with everything else until it darkens and thickens.

Pour in 1.4 l water, three times the volume of the rice, then add a little salt, 200 g garrofó beans, fresh or frozen and 300 g snails, well cleaned, if using.

Boil hard over high heat for 15 min to 20 min so the broth takes the flavour of the meat. Taste: it should be well seasoned, slightly salty.

Crumble in saffron threads, lightly toasted and scatter 400 g round paella rice, such as bomba evenly across the pan. Nudge the meat and beans so they sit evenly, then leave it alone: no more stirring from here on.

Cook over high heat for 5 min, then over medium heat for 5 min, then over very low heat for 5 min to 8 min, until the water has been absorbed.

In the final minutes on low heat, listen to the pan: a gentle crackle means the bottom layer is toasting into socarrat. Take it off the heat as soon as it smells toasty, before it smells burnt.

Lay 2 to 3 sprigs rosemary on top, turn off the heat and let the paella rest for 5 min before serving from the pan. Remove the rosemary at the table.

Heat 59 ml neutral oil or ghee in a deep pan over medium heat. Fry 1 large onion, stirring often, until evenly browned.

Lift the onions out onto a plate; they crisp as they cool. Let the flavoured oil cool and keep it for the pot.

In a large bowl, mix 160 ml plain yogurt, not sour, 3.5 ml salt, 1 ml ground turmeric, 5 to 7.5 ml red chili powder, 5 to 7.5 ml biryani masala or garam masala, 1 to 2.5 ml ground green cardamom, 1 to 2 green chilies, 18 ml ginger garlic paste and 15 ml lemon juice. Taste and add more salt or spice if needed.

Add 500 g skinless bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 h, ideally overnight.

Wash 355 ml aged basmati rice in several changes of water until it runs clear, then soak it for 30 min. Drain.

Bring 1.66 l water to a boil in a large pot with 5 ml oil, 5 to 6 ml salt, 1 leaf bay leaf, 1 stick cinnamon stick (7 cm piece), 6 whole cloves, 4 pods green cardamom pods, 1 star anise, 1 pod black cardamom pod, 2 mace blades and 2.5 ml shahi jeera (caraway seeds). Taste it, then boil hard for 5 min to release the aroma.

Start this while the chicken goes into the pot. Add the drained rice and boil until it is three-quarters cooked, then drain at once in a colander.

Soak 1 ml saffron threads in 44 ml hot milk while you prepare everything else.

Tip the chicken and all its marinade into the heavy pot. Pour over the reserved onion oil and add half the fried onions, half of 59 ml mint leaves and two thirds of 44 ml coriander leaves. Mix and spread the chicken in a single, even layer.

Spread the drained rice evenly over the chicken without pressing it down. Scatter over the remaining fried onions, mint and coriander, then sprinkle with 1 to 2.5 ml biryani masala or garam masala. Drizzle the saffron milk and 30 ml ghee over the top.

Cover the pot tightly with foil, then press on a heavy lid so no steam can escape.

Set the pot on a hot, heavy griddle over medium-high heat, with the flame spread across the whole base. Cook for exactly 20 min.

Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cook for exactly 15 min more.

Turn off the heat and leave the pot sealed for 20 min to 30 min. Open, scatter with 15 ml coriander leaves, to garnish and serve by scooping down to the bottom so every plate gets rice and chicken.

Blend 3 red bell peppers (tatashe), ½ can canned plum tomatoes (or 2 medium fresh tomatoes), 1 ½ scotch bonnet peppers (ata rodo) and 1 onion to a smooth purée.

Heat 100 ml vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat, add ½ onions and fry until fragrant.

Add the blended pepper base with 120 g tomato paste, 3 Knorr chicken stock cubes, 2.5 ml curry powder, 2.5 ml dried thyme, 2.5 ml any all-purpose seasoning you like, 5 ml ground white pepper and 3 leaves bay leaves. Cover and fry, stirring now and then, until the oil floats to the top.

While the base fries, wash the rice for the next stage several times until the water runs almost clear, to rinse off the starch.

Once the oil has risen, add 500 ml beef or chicken stock, cover and fry for 8 min to 10 min more.

Put 1 l easy-cook (parboiled) long grain rice, washed in a second large pot and add the stew a ladle at a time, mixing, until the stew sits only about 1 cm (⅜ in) above the rice. Keep any leftover stew for topping up.

Stir in 30 ml butter, 15 ml fresh ginger and 5 ml ground white pepper.

Cover tightly and cook over low heat until the rice softens, stirring every so often with a wooden spoon. Add small splashes of stock, water or reserved stew only when the pot looks dry. A little catching on the bottom is what gives the smoky party flavour.

When the rice is almost done, add ½ onions and 1 medium tomato, stir them through and season with salt.

Turn off the heat and leave covered to steam in its own heat for a minute or two before serving.