Good morning, GUSsacks!! Are you ready to try some Spanish recipes? If not, just read, save and think about trying some Spanish recipes later. I have had my appetite piqued recently because of a new catalog my friend shared with me: La Tienda. Oh, my! I know where my tobacco money is going -- to a very nice paella pan.
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Ideally, paella should be made in a paella pan. They can be bought from 10 inches to a whopping 36 inches wide and in various material like carbon steel as the least expensive to copper, the most expensive. Here's an example.
Remember, you need a heat source that can handle the size pan you might choose. I have the lousiest stove (electric) other than the one at the lake cottage which is from the 1930s and the burner coils don't completely heat and the thing only works on high or off. We do have a terrific two burner propane stove outside -- taking off the wind shield, it can accommodate even the 36 inch pan -- but I'd have to win the lottery to be able to afford the ingredients for 50 people. Hell, I don't even know 50 people.
Another excellent vessel is the earthenware cazuela. I need to buy in multiple sizes. There's entire cookbooks dedicated to cooking with cazuelas. Cazuelas can be used both on stove top and oven. They just need a good soaking in water before use.
You can also cook paella in a good shallow pan with curved sides -- like a braiser.
Amazingly, I made my first paella in my Le Creuset big dutch oven.
Everyone loved it but I think it would have been much easier to handle in at least a braiser.
OK -- time for a couple of recipes!! The first is from Williams Sonoma. No, not to energize effey; rather, this is the recipe I first used and it was brilliant. You can add or subtract meat or seafood you don't like or can't get fresh.
Paella ala Williams Sonoma
Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 large artichokes
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 tsp. saffron threads
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 chicken thighs, boned
1/3 lb. pork loin
1/2 lb. pork sausages
7 oz. cleaned squid
1 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch
pieces
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely
chopped
2 1/2 cups risotto-type short-grain rice, such as
Bomba
1 cup shelled English peas, fresh or frozen
6 oz. monkfish or hake fillet
24 large mussels
12 medium shrimp, peeled
Fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Directions:
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a gentle simmer and maintain over low heat.
To prepare the artichokes, fill a bowl with water and stir in the lemon juice. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove the tough outer leaves. Slice off the top 2 inches of the remaining leaves. Cut off the stem flush with the base and discard. Cut the artichoke lengthwise into quarters, then scrape out and discard the fuzzy choke with a spoon or a small, sharp knife. Place the cleaned artichoke quarters in the lemon water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
Using a mortar and pestle, grind the salt with the saffron until a powder forms. Add the garlic and grind with the salt and saffron. Set aside.
Cut the chicken thighs, pork loin and sausages into 1-inch pieces. Slice the squid into rings, leaving the tentacles whole.
Place a 16-inch paella pan or a large, wide, heavy-bottomed fry pan over high heat (or over a metal ring set on a rack over coals) and pour in the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, pork, sausages and squid and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat and squid to a plate and set aside. Reserve the pan with the remaining oil.
Drain the artichokes and add to the paella pan. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Return the meat and squid to the pan and add the tomatoes, stirring to evenly distribute the tomatoes. Add 2 ladlefuls of the hot stock and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir a little stock into the mortar with the saffron mixture and mix well. Pour the contents of the mortar into the saucepan of stock.
Add the rice to the paella pan, followed by the peas and all but 1⁄2 cup of the remaining stock. Stir everything together thoroughly.
Cut the monkfish into 1-inch pieces. Scrub the mussels with a stiff brush. Debeard them by scraping off the tuft of fibers with a knife. Remove them from their shells if desired. Arrange the fish, mussels and shrimp on top of the rice mixture, discarding any mussels that do not close to the touch. Return the paella to a simmer and cook until the meat and fish are cooked through and the rice is tender but not too soft, about 20 minutes. If the mussels are in their shells, discard any that failed to open. If the paella is not yet done and all the liquid is absorbed, add a little of the reserved stock as needed.
Turn off the heat and cover the pan with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Let stand for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle thoroughly and the rice to absorb any remaining juices. Serve warm, not hot, garnished with the parsley.
Serves 8.
Unless you've never cooked before or think microwaving is cooking, you can modify this recipe down to 6 or 4 easily. I've yet to try this for two -- but I am planning on it.
Here's a link to to all 8 Williams Sonoma paella recipes. Yum!!!
There are hundreds and hundreds of paella recipes that accommodate everyone's taste. And do only get Bomba or Arborio rice -- anything else will totally ruin this expensive dish.
Now, one more recipe for our vegetarians from The New York Times which not only has frequent excellent recipes but also employs the brilliant Mark Bittman:
Vegetarian Paella
1 quart vegetable stock or garlic broth
Generous pinch (about 1/2 teaspoon) saffron threads
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 green pepper, cut into strips
2 cups Bomba or Arborio rice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and grated on the large holes of a box grater; or peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in 1-inch lengths
2 or 3 baby artichokes, trimmed and sliced (may also use frozen artichoke hearts, sliced)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen lima beans
1 cup shelled fresh or thawed frozen peas
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Crush the saffron threads between your fingertips, and place in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon warm water, and set aside.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy frying pan, an earthenware casserole (cazuela) set over a flame tamer, or a paella pan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the peppers begin to soften, about three minutes. Add the tomato paste, paprika and rice. Cook, stirring, for one minute until the grains begin to crackle. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until they cook down slightly and smell fragrant, about five minutes. Stir in the saffron with its soaking water, scraping in every last bit with a rubber spatula. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Add the stock, green beans, artichokes and chickpeas or lima beans. Bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer without stirring until the liquid has just about evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the peas. Continue to simmer until the rice is dry, another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.
Yield: Serves six to eight.
Advance preparation: This does not have to be piping hot, so it can be made an hour before you wish to serve. If you make it further ahead than that, you can reheat it in the pan.
If you really need to get the paella pan for 50 people here's your guest list!!
Buddy list:
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, Actbriniel, addisnana, AfroPonix, aishmael, Alise, Alpha99, A Man Called Gloom, ambeeeant, American in Kathmandu, amk for obama, andsarahtoo, angry marmot, Anne933, anodnhajo, aoeu, aquarius2001, arcadesproject, Archie2227, arodb, Arthur Wolf (in memoriam), assyrian64, awkawk, b4uknowit, bamablue, BARAKABETH, barnowl, b barrie, bdizz, beatpanda, beefydaddy18, BFSkinner, bgblcklab1, BigAlinWashSt, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, BJKay, bleeding heart, blingbling65, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, bluedust, BluejayRN, BlueJessamine, Bluerall, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, boudi08, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrenP, Bronxist, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, buddabelly, bumbi, BusyinCA, Carol in San Antonio, CathiefromCanada, CathodeRay, CDH in Brooklyn, cee4, Cen Den, ChiTownDenny, ChocolateChris, ChurchofBruce, ciganka, cinnamondog, citizenx, ClapClapSnap, Cleante, Code Monkey, codobus, Coldblue Steele, Colorado is the Shiznit, coloradomomma, common green, commonmass, Common Sense Mainer, congenitalefty, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, DarienComp, dauber, Dauphin, Dave in AZ, Dave in Northridge, deedogg, demkat620, Dexter, Diana in NoVa, Dickie, DiegoUK, Dingodude, dirtdude, distraught, djMikulec, dolfin66, donnamarie, Donna O, dotsright, DRo, droogie6655321, Dube, duckhunter, Eclectablog, Eddie C, EdgedInBlue, effervescent, elbamash, El barragas, el vasco, ericlewis0, Everest42, Ex Con, ezdidit, fhamme, Fineena, fiona2, fishhawk, Flea, flumptytail, Friend of the court, fritzi56, FrugalGranny, Garrett, Gator, gchaucer2, GDbot, Geiiga, GenXangster, glpaul, gooderservice, gooners, gravlax, greylox, grndrush (in memoriam), GrumpyWarriorPoet, gzodik, Haole in Hawaii, HappyinNM, henlesloop, HeyMikey, hideinplainsight, High Tide, hiliner68, hold tight, hulibow, I love OCD, Im a frayed knot, imisa, Indexer, indubitably, indyada, Interceptor7, Inventor, I said GOOD DAY sir, itsbenj, Jahiz, JamesEB, janl1776, Janeo, JayinPortland, jayjaybear, jbou, Jeffersonian Democrat, jmadlc55, jmonch, Joes Steven (aka Steven), john07801, johngoes, johnny wurster, jsfox, JVolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, Kai99, kailuacaton, Kamakhya, kat herder, Kelly of PA, kestrel9000, khloemi, Khun David, Kitsap River, kittania, KrazyKitten, Kristina40, Ksholl, labwitchy, Lady Kestrel, ladypockt, Lahdee, langerdang, LarsThorwald, LA rupert, last starfighter, LaughingPlanet, Laurie Gator, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, lockewasright, Lonely Texan, longislandny, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, mango, Marc in KS, Marjmar, Mark E Andersen (Kodiak54), marknspokane, marsanges, maryabein, Matt Esler, mdemploi, Meteor Blades, Micburke, michael1104, MillieNeon, minerva1157, MinervainNH, Missys Brother, mjbleo, MnRaindog, mntleo2, Morague, Mr Bojangles, mrsgoo, mskitty, msmacgyver, MsWings, Murphoney, nannyboyz, ncsuLAN, NearlyNormal, Nedsdag, Nick Zouroudis, notgivingup, NY brit expat, OleHippieChick, one pissed off democrat, Onomastic, operculum, OrangeMike, Ordvefa, Overseas, Over the Edge, Pager, paige, PaintyKat, paradox, parryander, paulitics, Pennsylvanian, phrogge prince, Positronicus, post rational, PowWowPollock, Proud Mom and Grandma, psycho liberal, ptolemynm, Purple Priestess, PvtJarHead, racheltracks, randallt, ray bob, real world chick, red mittens, Reepicheep, regis, relentless, revelwoodie, revsue, Rex Manning, rexymeteorite, RiaD, rickeagle, ridemybike, rightiswrong, Rileycat, rincewind, rkex, roadlion, Roger Fox, Rosebuddear, roses, rscopes, Rudini, Safina, SallyCat, Sanuk, Sark Svemes, sboucher, scooter in brooklyn, Scrapyard Ape, seenaymah, sfbob, sgary, Shahryar, sheddhead, shesaid, Shifty18, shmuelman, shopkeeper, sidious666, slowbutsure, smartcookienyc, smeesq, Smoh, snoopydawg, snorwich, SnyperKitty, SoCalHobbit, sofia, soonergrunt, sostos, sowsearsoup, SpecialKinFlag, spmozart, spotDawa, SpotTheCat, StateOfGrace, Statusquomustgo, stiffneck, sunbro, Super Grover, Syoho, tallmom, Tay, tdslf1, teknospaz, theatre goon, The Eyewitness Muse, TheGeneral, TheStoopingRabbit, TigerMom, Tim DeLaney, tiredofcrap, TomP, tonyahky, Toyotabob7, TreeFrog, triciawyse, tripodisblack, trs, trueblueliberal, ttanner, Tulsonian, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, Tyto Alba, uc booker, UncleCharlie, Unduna, Unforgiven, ursoklevar, USArmyParatrooper, VA02 femocrat, Vacationland, valadon, Vayle, Vetwife, vgranucci, Village expects idiot home soon, waytac, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, Whimsical Rapscallion, willy be frantic, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, wolfie1818, Wordsinthewind, Wreck Smurfy, x, xopher, yet another liberal, Zotz
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A reason to strive to quit and stay quit -- everything tastes better and better as your taste buds recover. And if you don't want to cook Paella, you can just sit back with a lovely glass of Sangria and wonder why you don't want to cook Paella.
h/t to aoeu -- great wiki paella link.
Besides the great regional history -- the picture of the massive paella pan -- with paella is worth a look see.