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By Elizabeth AtiaOctober 25th 2015
Elizabeth Atia

Brian Kennedy has been a chef for 17 years, working in a variety of hotels and restaurants. He has worked at Frankie's for the past two years, having moved to Shetland from his native Kirkcudbright four years ago with his wife and young family.

They moved here because they fell in love with Shetland while on holiday.

Above, left, Brian with Carlyn Kearney and right, with his children on one of Frankie's charity cycles.

Professionally, Brian was attracted by the tremendous quality of the local seafood. "Seafood of this quality really makes a chef's life easy," he says.

"It really is fantastic - it's tastier, meatier, just better than I have seen anywhere else.

"Take something like monkfish - it is so meaty that you can almost treat it like you would a steak."

He also recommends local crab as quite simply "superb".

"I think the cold, clean waters around Shetland have a lot to do with the quality of the seafood. It is just so natural."

At the Shetland Food Fair, Brian will be cooking a paella and a Ready Steady Cook style creation most likely based around monkfish.

"Paella is a great dish. It really works by bringing together all kinds of different seafood. It's fabulous when you have lots of people together - everybody can dig in - it's a really social dish. It also looks really good. I've always loved it. I was taught how to make one by a chef I was working for years ago."

Seafood Paella

Course: Main
Servings: 4-5 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes


Ingredients:

  • olive oil - 4 tbsp
  • onion - 1 (chopped)
  • garlic cloves - 2 (chopped)
  • chorizo - 150 grams (chopped)
  • red bell pepper - 1 (chopped)
  • Spanish rice - 425 grams
  • white wine - 125 ml
  • fish stock - 1 litre
  • smoked paprika - tsp
  • saffron threads - pinch
  • fish and shellfish - (eg: mussels, scallops, langoustine, clams, monkfish)
  • rosemary - 1 branch (leaves only)
  • lemon wedges - (to serve)
  • fresh parsley - (to serve)

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil, add onions, garlic, chorizo and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until onions are translucent then add the rice and stir well
  2. Add the wine and allow to evaporate. Add the stock , paprika and saffron. Submerge the fish and shellfish into the mix. Scatter over rosemary leaves and simmer for 20 mins on a medium heat. Stir occasionally to stop rice from sticking.
  3. Garnish with lemon wedges and lots of fresh parsley.

The amount of fresh fish and shellfish you will need varies depending on what you use. Ask your local fishmonger for how much to serve per person.

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