First, heat the paella pan with medium heat. Empty the packet of Fideo noodles in the dry pan and let them crisp up a little bit. Allow about 3 minutes stirring them all of the time. Once crisped up, remove them from the heat and set them aside.

On high heat, add 6-8 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is sizzling, add the slices of ibérico Secreto and a pinch of salt. Roll the slices around until they are an even golden color, this should take around 1-2 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook the meat. Once cooked, set this aside.

Reduce the heat to medium, add a splash more oil, and then add the slices of morcilla. Cook them for around 2-3 minutes on each side. Don’t worry if some fat or filling falls out, this will add to the flavor. Once cooked, add to the plate of ibérico Secreto, we will add this to the fideua later.

Optionally, if you’re adding chicken or game meat, cook them last as the rich flavors of the pork and morcilla will help soak into the game meat.

On medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and then add the onions. Slowly cook the onions for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally till they yellow.

Once the onions are yellowed, sprinkle a tablespoon of brown sugar over the onions and add a splash of sherry. Cook for another 7-10 minutes or until the onion starts to caramelize.

Move the onions to the side of the pan and add a splash more oil to the middle of the pan.

On medium heat, add some garlic, and fry lightly. Then after 1-2 minutes, add the crushed tomatoes and spices and mix well.

Cook for around 5-7 minutes or until the tomato mixture has begun to thicken.

Add another splash of oil and then add the fideo noodles and stir through with the onions, tomato, and spices mixture.

Add the stock little by little, and stir through thoroughly with the noodles and mixture. Allow the fideo noodles to cook for 3-5 minutes.

Add the pre-prepared ibérico Secreto, morcilla (and game or chicken if you like), and a splash of sherry, and mix through the mixture. Be sure to leave a few generous chunks of meat sitting on the top.

Cook on medium-low heat for another 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft and the liquid is absorbed.

Once no more bubbles appear, remove it from the heat and cover the pan with a clean damp towel for 5 minutes. This will allow the top crust of pasta to steam and curl.

Once you are ready to serve, add a few springs of fresh thyme to the top. This dish pairs well with a dry red wine, or any type of Rioja is ideal!