Hammondrye: November 2009

The beauty of Paella is that it is so versatile: it's basically a stovetop casserole with local ingredients. Regional specialties

influence the flavors. I love the seafood/pork flavor combo common in a Portuguese Cataplana and thought to be inspired during the Inquisition. More traditional would be a single protein flavor with a vegetable (ie:rabbit/artichoke or squid/scallion)

But my favorite restaurant growing up was La Bodega in North Beach, which served 'Paella Valencia' a combination chicken, shrimp and pea. My version is heavy on tomatoes and I always add booze

Lisa b.'s Basic Paella
Yield 4 Servings

Measure/Ingredient

½ lb. Chorizo or other spicy sausage

½ lb. mussels-- live

1lb. Chicken -- - cut up

⅓ cup Olive oil

2 large Shallot - chopped

16 oz Diced tomatoes (drain if canned)

1 med Red pepper ¾ chopped, ¼ sliced thin for garnish

1 bulb Garlic - whole (my preference so to flavor only)

¼ tsp Saffron - spanish

2 tsp Sea salt /pepper

2 cups Aborio rice

Up to 6 cups Hot broth (chicken or fish)

1 cup Green beans-in season

Brown and slice sausage, set aside. Wash and trim beans, set aside.

Scrub mussels in several baths of cold water to be sure all the sand is washed away. Do not open shells.

Pour 1/2 of the olive oil into a frying pan and slowly brown chicken pieces. Set aside.

Into a shallow Dutch oven pour the remaining olive oil and saute' the shallot and garlic until tender but not brown over low heat. Add tomatoes and peppers and simmer on med heat, stirring until the sofrito reduces to @ 1 cup.

Add the rice and stir, coating the rice with the sofrito. (this seals the grain, so it does not break down while cooking. (This is the main difference between making a paella vs. a risotto, where the starch breaks down.)

Add the sausage.

Add broth stirring until the rice mixture is covered.

Arrange the chicken pieces, gently pressing them into the mixture.

Add the mussels and bean around the chicken.

Turn to low and simmer gently, uncovered, until the rice is cooked. About 35-45 mins.

When the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and the shellfish are open, remove from heat and cover with a towel.

If it becomes too dry before the rice is cooked, a little more water may be added, but DO NOT stir. If some moisture remains when rice is done, put pan into a oven to dry out.

Arrange strips of peppers on top and serve in the pan in which it was cooked.

It is important to carefully plan your cooking vessel. I have a collection of 2 ,4, 8 and 10 serving size pans I use for paellas and braised meals. My stove is too small for the 10, but I can use it on a grill!