Berkshire— A good paella can be a fantastic summer dish. It doesn’t take very long to make, it combines many beautiful colors and flavors, and it’s a crowd pleaser. Francesco learned to make paella in culinary school and ate the best paella of his life in Spain where the dish originates. The word paella refers to the pan it’s traditionally cooked in, a large frying pan where seafood and meat are layered with rice to make a memorable meal. Cooking it over a flame would be best, but we made it work on an electric range. We made this on a Thursday afternoon, carried it along to a picnic, and ate leftovers on Friday. It’s a great dish for sharing and you can change out the ingredients each time you make it, combining what looks good at the seafood counter with what’s fresh from the garden.
Francesco’s Paella
2 links chorizo
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (roughly 1 pound)
1/2 pound shrimp (6-8 shrimp)
1/2 pound bay scallops
1/2 large white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, grated (grating the tomatoes is traditional)
1/2 cup rice for each person eating (Bomba rice is best)
1 cup frozen or fresh peas
16 ounces chicken broth
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Combine saffron with chicken broth and warm in a saucepan. Set aside.
Clean and dice chicken thighs. Season with salt and pepper.
Slice chorizo.
Heat olive oil in a large pan (at least 12 inches) over medium heat.
Sear the chicken thighs until browned and transfer to a dish. They will cook through later.
Sear the chorizo and transfer to a dish.
Add a little more olive oil to the pan and add the garlic and onions and let them sweat.
Add diced peppers to the pan.
Add rice to the pan and stir in with vegetables.
Add stock and let cook for about 6 minutes without stirring.
Add grated tomatoes.
Add chicken, chorizo, shrimp, and scallops, nesting these ingredients within the rice.
Turn heat down and cover the pan with lid or foil for about 6 minutes.
Add peas and cover for another 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, uncover and let it rest for about 10 minutes. There should be a nice crust that has formed at the bottom of the pan. (It’s delicious!)
Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the dish and serve.
