Paella
Serves 4
What to Pair With
When we think about Spanish food, one dish that often comes to mind is paella, that aromatic rice dish that brings a rush of flavor in every bite. I will often order it when it’s on a menu because I know the challenges of making it well at home.
There are some important components that make paella different than say jambalaya or risotto that should be followed. First off is the pan. If you are lucky enough to have a paella pan than you are on your way. Ideally you want to use a wide, flat, shallow pan that is preferably make out of aluminum or steel.
The reason the depth of the pan is important is because you want to be able to spread out the rice to cook evenly and you want to allow steam to escape quickly. The best part of the paella is on the bottom of the pan when the rice starts to caramelize and get crispy. This is called the ‘socarrat’ and is best achieved with a proper pan.
Next is the sofrito. This is the base of a lot of Spanish cooking. Similar to a mirepoix in classic French cooking, the Spanish sofrito is a base of aromatic vegetables that include onion, peppers, garlic and tomatoes cooked in a healthy dose of olive oil.
Saffron gives paella its golden color and unmistakable flavor. Use this sparingly however because too much saffron can overpower a dish with an undesirable metallic taste.
The rice. I used a traditional rice called bomba but Arborio rice (the rice used in risotto) can be used.
Everything else you add is up to you. I make a chorizo and shrimp paella that makes for quick cooking but pork, chicken and even an all vegetable mix would be great as well.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 cups chicken stock
Pinch saffron threads
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
3 tbsp cup olive oil
2 tsp Sherry vinegar
3 tsp Salt
2-3 links of chorizo (cured or precooked)
1 ½ cups bomba or arborio rice
3/4 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
Parsley, chopped
Preparation
In a pot, bring the broth to a boil; reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Add the saffron to the stock.
In a shallow, wide pan over medium heat, add a 3 tablespoons of oil and cook the onion and peppers until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, vinegar and salt and stir to combine. Cook 5 min to reduce liquid.
Add the rice and stir to combine.
Add the chorizo in the pan and ladle in 1 cup of broth.
Stir and cook until the rice begins to appear above the liquid.
Add more stock and continue the process until all of the broth has been added.
Check the rice for doneness. If it is still hard, add more broth or water until rice is fully cooked.
As the last liquid evaporates, the bottom layer of rice will start to caramelize. You may hear the rice crackling, which it should do, but if it starts burning, remove the pan from the heat.
Arrange the shrimp over the rice, cover and cook for final 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let the paella rest, 5 to 10 minutes.
Garnish with parsley and serve directly out of the pan at the table, scraping up the crispy rice on the bottom!
Chris Chisholm is a Certified Specialist of Wine and a graduate of Boston University Wine Studies and Wine Making programs. He is also a graduate of Cook Street School of Culinary Arts in Denver, CO. He has worked as a personal chef and chef instructor.
If you have any questions, email Chris at chris@snugharborwine.com. You can also follow Chris on Instagram @winechefchris for more delicious food photos!