Fideuà With Morcilla, Ibérico Secreto & Caramelized Onions
This meat-based Fideua recipe brings a warming winter vibe to the traditional Fideua. With the delicious combination of flavors of the best cuts of pork from Ibérico Secreto, the rich flavor and aroma of fried Morcilla, and oozing with sweetness from the caramelized onions, this dish is a sure-fire dinner party pleaser!
Equipment
- A large 40cm paella pan (or another pan that’s at least 4-inches deep)
- 12-inch skillet splatter screen (optional, but very handy)
Ingredients
- 300 grams / 0.6 lb of Morcilla around 3 sausages, sliced around ½ inch
- 600 grams of ibérico Secreto - Cut into ½ inch cubes or slices)
- 350 grams of Rabbit or Chicken thigh (de-boned and cut into small ½ inch pieces) (Optional)
- 400 grams (0.9 lb) of fideo pasta Grade No.1
- 3 tomatoes grated
- 2-3 cloves of garlic crushed/grated
- 2 onions finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon of thyme
- ½ teaspoon of sweet paprika
- ½ cup of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 700 ml (23 oz) of Chicken stock
- Some sherry to taste Any sherry from the Jerez region of Andalusia is ideal!
Instructions
Crisp up the noodles
- 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.
Prepare the meat
- 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.
Caramelize the onions
- 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.
Prepare the Fideua
- 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!