Paella

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This paella recipe is a delicious and accessible version of this famous Valencian dish.

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  • 2
  • 30 mins
  • 65 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice – use short, round-grain rice
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 chicken thighs
  • 1 mini chorizo from Cost Plus World Market
  • 4-8 defrosted shrimp/prawns
  • 1 small ripe tomato – finely chopped or 1 can chopped tomato with chile or without.
  • 1 small onion – peeled and finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup frozen peas that are defrosting during cook time.
  • 8 threads saffron
  • 2 cups boiling water with chicken, seafood or veg bullion.
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika - smoked hot if you have it.
  • Salt
  • optional: jalapeno. I know, it's non-traditional yet yummy!
  • Feel free to do different protein combinations - all chicken, bacon is good if no chorizo, mixed frozen seafood, tilapia.
  • Use bullion to compliment your protein selection - feel free to use clam juice if making all seafood.

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare protein:

Heat olive oil in paella pan (or if using bacon, fry bacon)
If cooking meat, brown meat.
If cooking seafood, lightly cook - about half way to completion.
Remove meat and hold aside. Keep remaining oil in pan.

Prep for rice:

Add onion and fry for a few minutes.
Add chopped tomato. Cook for at least 10-12 min to allow sofregit to carmelize. This makes the recipe more delicious! Add Paprika.

Separately, while onion is cooking, heat water. Grind up saffron and add to water. Add bullion / a little salt & pepper as water heats to a boil (near boil ok).

Add rice and distribute evenly over the bottom of the paella pan with a wooden spoon.
Add boiling water and meat (if desired - if not, put on top at the end. However, do not add seafood here) to paella pan and stir briefly. DON'T STIR IT EVER AGAIN. Don't even think about it.

Cooking rice:

Cook for 10 minutes over med/high flame. Add peas to top as well as any shellfish/seafood, arranging them carefully over the top. It's ok to add meat here too. Cook for another 5-8 minutes over med/low flame. All water should be absorbed.

Remove Paella from heat source. Cover with 2-3 newspaper pages and let it rest 5-10 minutes. Don't miss this step, but don't wait more than 10 minutes to eat.

Serve directly from the paella pan.

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