Jay Dickerson's amazed and dazzled the EQuickie Lunch Bunch on Tuesday with his Classic Spanish Seafood Paella.
Paella Marinera
(Seafood Paella)
Serves 6-8
Paella, like the Italian risotto, is more art, than science, so it may take a little practice before you get it perfectly. Be sure to have all of your ingredients chopped and ready to go before you start cooking. Be sure to use a burner, or burners large enough for your paella pan. The amount of liquid is approximate, if you’re halfway through and you think the rice is a little dry, feel free to add more stock or water. Every region of Spain has their version of paella. Feel free to experiment on your own.
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 large shrimp, shell on
1 pound boneless chicken thighs
1 medium Spanish onion, cut into a ¼ -inch dice
½ cup pureed ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Bomba or other short-grain rice such as Pearl
1 pound Manila clams, or mussels, or a combination of both
3-6 Piquillo peppers
1 cup green beans (cut into 1” sections)
½ cup peas
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Heat a 14-inch to 18-inch paella pan over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until smoking. Add the shell on shrimp and the chicken thighs and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside or move meat to edges of pan. Add the onion to the pan, and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic, stirring them into the onions, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir well to distribute it evenly. Add the salt, saffron, and pimenton and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Add the stock, turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook until liquid is mostly absorbed. Next, add the scallops, and the clams or mussels, arranging them nicely. Finish with the piquillo peppers, green beans, and the peas. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more; or until the liquid is almost completely absorbed and the pan starts to make a crackling noise (this is what you want). Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Top with minced parsley.
