Step 1

Soak lima beans in cold water overnight. Drain, rinse, then drain well again. Assemble all remaining ingredients before beginning to cook.

Step 2

Combine stock and saffron in a medium saucepan. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to the boil over high heat. Boil, covered, for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Hold at a simmer, covered, while cooking paella in steps 3 and Hot stock is added to ensure faster, even cooking.

Step 3

Place oil in a 24cm (base measurement) non-stick paella pan for 4 people. Alternatively, use a 4cm-deep, non-stick medium-weight frying pan. It should be wide (to allow excess moisture to evaporate), shallow and not too thick (so it doesn't retain too much heat and cooks evenly). The pan should sit on a large hotplate or gas burner for even cooking. If available, a gas wok burner will deliver good, even heat. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add chicken and rabbit. Cook, turning occasionally, for 6 minutes or until light golden brown. Transfer to a plate.

Step 4

Cook the Italian beans in a small saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside. Reduce heat under paella pan to low. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft (do not brown). Add tomatoes, rice, paprika, salt and lima beans. Mix well, push any rice around edge of pan into mixture, and pat down. Return chicken, rabbit and juices to pan. Push gently into rice.

Step 5

Add about 3 ladlesful (375ml/1 1/2 cups) of hot stock evenly over the paella. The liquid level will be close to the rim of the pan and cover the surface of the mixture. From this point on, do not stir the paella during cooking. If necessary, occasionally use a spoon to gently move rice that looks drier and a little whiter to the areas of more moisture. Cook over high heat, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Watch the paella closely, as the stock will be absorbed into the rice quite quickly. As the stock is absorbed and the rice begins to look dry, pour about a ladleful (125ml/1/2 cup) gradually and evenly over those areas that look a little dry, particularly around the edge of the pan. Add more stock when necessary. Rotate pan during cooking if paella appears to be cooking unevenly. Taste the rice after about 15 minutes of cooking and every 5 minutes or so from then on to determine when the rice is cooked. Taste from the outside edge, as rice in this area will be cooked last due to the direct heat underneath the centre of the pan. When ready, the rice should be tender yet firm to the bite. The final cooking time and amount of stock added will vary, depending on the absorption capacity of the rice, the heat source (gas or electric) and pan thickness and depth, but as a general guide, the total amount of stock added should be about 1.125L (4 1/2 cups).

Step 6

Push cooked beans gently into the rice. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Paella should now look slightly moist, but not soupy (if it is, the heat is too low). Remove pan from heat, and cover with 2 clean tea towels. Set aside for 10 minutes. During this time, extra moisture will be absorbed by the rice. A light golden crust, known as socarrat and considered the most tasty and desirable part of the paella, should have developed under the rice. With stovetop cooking, the crust will probably form in the centre of the pan, due to the heat concentration in this part of the pan. It should be deep golden, not burnt. It is characteristic for the finished paella to fill the pan, creating a visual feast! Take to the table and serve immediately.