Spicy Sausage and Bacon Paella

Description:
I highly doubt this recipe is for an authentic paella. But it's quick, easy and relatively cheap to make. You can serve this as a main meal or it would make a great side dish at a BBQ or pot luck dinner.

This doesn't last long in our household so I usually make a double batch! It's a good recipe to freeze, I usually do this with leftovers, in single sized servings.



Ingredients:
* 3 chorizo (or other spicy sausage or salami), sliced diagonally
* 4 rashers bacon, chopped
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 1 green capsicum, sliced (I prefer zucchini)
* 1 clove of garlic, crushed
* 11/2 cups long-grain white rice
* 440 g canned tomatoes
* 3/4 cup chicken stock
* 1 teaspoon turmeric
* salt & pepper, to taste

Note: You can also add/vary the ingredients depending on what vegetables you have on hand at the time. Finely chopped broccoli is good. I sometimes add a few chopped mushrooms and/or 1/2 cup of frozen peas.

Directions:
Cook the sausages and bacon in a large electric frying pan, or a skillet until well browned (about 5 mins). Remove from pan & drain on paper towels.

Add onion, capsicum, garlic & rice to the pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring for 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes (incl juice), chicken stock & turmeric. Stir to combine.

Cover pan with a tight fitting lid and bring slowly to the boil. Stir, cover again then reduce to a simmer, for approx 25 minutes or until the liquid is almost absorbed and the rice is tender.

Return the sausage & bacon to the pan, stir and heat through. Season with salt & pepper.

**My Notes**
The first few times I made this I did it the way shown above. But I found it took far longer than 25 minutes simmering for the rice to cook. I also had to keep adding extra chicken stock.I can't stand hard or undercooked rice so now I cheat! I partially cook the rice in the microwave for about 9-10 minutes & add it to the pan when I add the tomatoes. I still add chicken stock at that point (but halve the amount). Reduce the simmer time to 15-20 minutes and it turns out perfect every time.