Focus on food: March 29, 2007

Spanish Paella By Greg Morton

The following recipe is from our Westport Cooks Archives and the previous “Spanish Paella Night” class held by Greg Morton. Add your own twist on this recipe as you make your own Paella.

Ingredients:
• 1 pound Chourico Sausage
• 3 pounds Chicken Thighs (bone in or boneless) or cut-up chicken pieces
• Your choice at least (3):
• 2 pounds Mussels
• 2 pounds Littlenecks steam ahead, reserve broth
• 2 pounds Shrimp shell-on or remove shells and place in stockpot
• 1 pound Calamari cleaned rings
• 3 Lobster tails, split in half, live
• 1 cup Garlic, chopped
• 3 Lg. Spanish Onions, chopped coarse
• 4 Green peppers, diced
• 10 Fresh plum tomatoes, diced
• 3 cans Sweet Roasted Red pepper, cut in strips
• 3 cans Artichoke hearts
• 1 pound Peas, frozen, baby, thawed
• Salt to taste
• Pepper (white & black) to taste
• 1-2cups Spanish or Portuguese Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2-3 pounds Bomba or Calasparra Rice (Spanish rice)

The Stock:
• 1.25 quart per # rice Stock (shellfish, saffron, paprika) Chicken broth may be used (watch the salt content)
• 2 T per quart Santa Domingo Smoked Paprika
• 3 Pinches per qt. Saffron

Overview:
This is what I call a “feel” dish. All ingredients and their amounts are not set in stone. The goal is to have this dish taste well-balanced, and the rice be chewy but not al dente. It is similar in some respects to a jambalaya because you make a mixture in which you are cooking the rice. The major difference with Paella is that the pan is not covered and you do not steam or cover the rice. The rice is sautéed in the oil with the vegetables, after the meats and sausage have been browned and removed, and is cooked over an open flame. Using real Spanish Calasparra or “Bomba” rice is important as the grain works in this format. It looks like abborio rice, but cooks off into a longer type grain.

Method of Preparation:
The stock makes this dish. Start with 6 quarts of water or ½water, ½ chicken stock. Add shrimp shells, lobster shells, clam or mussel broth, bay leaf, salt to taste, celery and onion cuttings, splash of white wine or dry vermouth, pepper corns, the saffron, and the paprika. If using the smoky or smoky-hot Santa Domingo paprika add a tablespoon at a time and taste; it can overtake the saffron which you do not want.

• Preheat your pan, med. high, (Paella, Iron, Le Creuset, Braiser, High Sided Sauté). Coat the bottom with olive oil and brown the sausage and chicken (seasoned with salt & pepper) in the oil, remove from pan and hold.

• Add rice and thoroughly sauté (5-6 minutes) add onion, garlic, green pepper and garlic and sauté 5-6 minutes, Return the meats, add the red pepper, artichoke hearts and diced tomato and mix thoroughly.

• Start adding stock slowly 2 cups at a time and stir just enough to mix. Do not over stir, and mixture should be at a good simmer, continue this procedure until rice is becoming tender and absorbing moisture.

• When the rice is becoming al dente 25-30 minutes, add shellfish except little necks which may be placed in at the end (if using mussels make sure they are pristine with no beards, and lobster tails— “bury” them so they can steam).

• Continue cooking until rice is tender but still chewy and sprinkle peas on top—serve.