ISO Paella Recipe

[Dina]

Some friends and I are scheduled to make some paella next week and I need to come up with a really good recipe since I'll be hosting this time around. Does anyone have any recipes for paella? Are mussels and calamari a must have in paella? Thanks.

[Andy M.]

Dina, I hope someone has a good recipe. I'd like to try it too.

[Uncle Bob]

Miss Dina…

I don’t know if this qualifies as classic paella, but it is a dish we enjoy at my house.
Obviously you can double the recipe or whatever you need to do. The secret/key is the shrimp stock/broth. The richer it is the better the dish will be.

½ cup of olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, crushed
A good pinch of saffron
2 or 3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon Tabasco or to taste
2 cups Shrimp broth
1 cup uncooked rice
1 1/2 pound shrimp head on if possible
½ cup dry white wine your favorite
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas, cooked


Heat the olive oil in a paella pan. Sauté onion and bell pepper until limp. Add tomatoes, garlic, saffron, bay leaf, salt/pepper and Tabasco. Cover and cook about 5 minutes.

To make shrimp broth, take heads/shells and cover with water, Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain.

Add Shrimp broth and rice to sautéed vegetable mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook about 20 minutes, or until rice is done. Add shrimp, green peas, and continue to cook a few minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Sprinkle with wine, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.

Have fun and Enjoy!

[Dina]

Thank you Bob. This one sounds great. I will try the shrimp stock for extra flavor.

[wysiwyg]

Dina,
If you are looking for the most traditional Spanish paella... a la Valenciana (with chicken and rabbit), let me know.
Here is the link, is in Spanish but if you need it, I can translate it for you.

La paella : introducción

Buen provecho!

[Dina]

Thank you for the link. I speak and read Spanish so no need for translation; thank you though. That is so nice of you. The recipe sounds delicious!

[wysiwyg]

I am glad it helped you Dina, you will be able to find other paellas but this is the original from Valencia. The seafood version -similar to the one Bob posted- is the most popular and probably more suitable for summer.
The one with rabbit and chicken is great for winter time, specially when is raining (to cook and enjoy as a group).
I believe the website is entirely in Spanish, but if there are strange words, please check a Catalan-Spanish translator since Valencia speaks a derivative language or let me know. Have fun !

[*amy*]

Dina, while I have not tried these, they sure do look good:

Williams-Sonoma | Recipes

I have a recipe for an easy version. Will look through my recipes and see if I can find it.

[Robo410]

In this country in this age we buy ingedients for a dish, but in reality these dishes were created because of what was available: oil, garlic, rice, broth , tomatoes, saffron, thyme, from there...if on the coast add shellfish, squid, the ink even for a black paella. If inland, the fowl, the sausage, and perhaps more veggies. etc.

It is such a great dish and one you can begin to personalize. A Spanish neighbor of ours taught us the tradition and said make it your own as you like it because they always did! Enjoy

[GrillingFool]

I vaguely remember a Paella making party we had in college. The dish
turned out great... I think! ;) Lots of Sangria went into the chefs.

Think I might have to give it a try again sometime, without the gallons
of Sangria. :)

[Chopstix]

To wyswyg or dina, could you kindly please translate the linked paella recipe? Many thanks! I'm a purist and would like to see what authentic paella looks like.

[wysiwyg]

chopstix,
Give me a couple of days, I will be more than happy to translate it for you.
Please let me know if you want just the recipe or the entire website since it has a very nice introduction, references and tips for cooking.
In addition, let me know if you are able to identify all the ingredientes listed (click on them for a picture). I don't know if what is available in Thailand.
Last one: I assume you use metric system, correct me if I am wrong.

[Walt Bulander]

Here is a version I often make when entertaining. It takes abour an hour to make, but the rave reviews make it worth it:

Ingredients and amounts aren't very fussy except the rice to liquid ratio of 1 part rice to 3 parts liquid.

Serves 4 (There WON'T be leftovers!)

Use a 12" frying pan, or a paella pan. I have an old Copco yellow enameled paella pan that makes for a great presentation.

Prep:
1/4 cup, or so, olive oil (or canola, or whatever)
2 Chicken breasts cut into 1/2" cubes, salt and pepper to taste and dust with dried oregano, about 1 tsp.

2 Spanish cooked Chorizo sausages, sliced 1/2" (Don't use the Mexican style chorizo if you can avoid it- way too much fat, and it just melts. I used to get it at Whole Foods, but eventually found a local source)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 to 1 spanish onion, diced

2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped. (Most of the year, I use 3 or 4 whole canned tomatoes squished by hand in the sink to remove most of the seeds)

1 Bay leaf and some thyme and a pinch of paprika (I have some smoked Spanish paprika I got as a gift - wonderful stuff)

1 cup short to medium grain rice. (I use Arborio)

Pinch of Saffron threads (expensive! I have cheated and used a little turmeric with good results)

Seafood:
24, or so, small raw shrimp, or fewer larger ones (about 1/2 lb.)
1 dozen mussels (optional- must be kept alive until cooked- don't wrap in plastic-keep on ice in the fridge and use the same day as purchased-throw out any not closed, cracked shells, etc.)

3 cups heated chicken stock or water. Throw in the shrimp shells for extra flavor and 1/2 cup dry white wine. boil for a few minutes, strain and keep hot.

1/2 cup of frozen sweet peas, thawed.

lemon wedges

Pimentos, or roasted red sweet peppers - do it yourself, or from a jar, in strips

Cook (about 30 minutes total):

Heat the oil in a skillet or paella pan.
Brown the chicken cubes.
Add and brown the Chorizo.
Remove the meat and set aside. Drain any excess oil, but don't clean the pan. You should have about 2 Tbsp.

Make a sofrito by sauteeing the onions (and raw peppers, if using) for a few minutes, add the garlic and cook 1 minute, add the tomato, and cook until the mixture caramalized a bit and the flavors meld. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of paprika.

Add the rice, stirring to coat the grains Add the saffron.

Immediatly add the stock. and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks and absorbs the liquid evenly. I have been known to cover and steam if the rice is taking longer.

Re-add the meat (remove the bay and thyme). Simmer uncovered without stirring another few minutes. Add the mussels by poking down into the rice.

Add the shrimp, scatter the peas on top, and arrange the roasted peppers on top.

Check for unopened mussels and discard. Rest off the heat for 5 min.

You can hold in a low oven for as much as a half hour, without problem, while you finish your sangria.

Garnish with the lemon wedges, and serve, accompanied by a nice dry white wine.

[wysiwyg]

Chopstix,
Attached is the paella valenciana link I provided previously in English.
No need for translation since Google has a version already :)

Translated version of http://www.lapaella.net/

Please let me know if you have questions.

[Chopstix]

Hi Wysiwyg, thank you so much! Really appreciate it! :-D

[Dina]

Thank you very much Walt! You were very thorough and I will definitely add some of your ingredients on the paella. Now, I'm on a search for sangria.

[Dina]

Our paella luncheon was wonderful. My 5 friends showed up, we drank lots of sangria and then got to working on the paella. Thank you all for your great recipes. We incorporated all recipes and it turned out delicious!

[Soup Lover]

I know you had a great time. My favorite paella recipe is Julia Child's! Here is a link. I use whatever seafood I can find--mussels,calamari, clams, lobster tails (when I REALLY want to impress!). They just get added at the end for the final steaming to heat/cook.
GMA Recipe: Paella 'a l'Americaine

[bigrhino2]

Easy and fun

[qmax]

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