The Paella "Performance Improvement Plan"
“The best stuff in life always happens around a table with those you love”
Dutch
Those are the words, above, of my brother-in-law, Dutch, a chef and wise soul who loves food and the sharing of it. With his advice, I recently made a much-improved Paella. What made it so wonderful wasn’t just the tasty result, but his suggestions regarding the process - and I don’t mean the recipe instructions (though those helped, too). His “Paella Performance Improvement Plan” included the following mind-shifting perspective: “The joy for me is always in the planning, shopping (finding the best stuff), prepping the elements, and bringing it all together.” Those words changed the whole context for me about preparing a large, important meal. Dread and anxiety were replaced with adventure and anticipation. Seeking out the freshest and most authentic ingredients became a fun exploit. Our recon missions revealed not only sources for authentic Spanish chorizo (a completely different product from the Mexican version), but also a fantastic fish market much closer to home (Kuzma’s) with the best Poke Bowls we’ve ever had. The fun I had with these discoveries infused the meal preparation with a new sense of excitement about cooking. When the Paella came out of the oven and was presented at the table, I wasn’t worried about perfection; rather I was eager to share it with those seated there. It really was a revelation. And the resulting time around the table truly was among the best.
Here’s the improved Paella recipe, modified from one found originally on Food Network (https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paella-recipe0-1911709):
Ingredients
Minced fresh parsley
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup minced onions
1 each small-sized sweet red and green bell peppers, seeded, and cut into strips
1 cup drained, chopped canned tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, patted dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Spanish chorizos, sliced into 1/4-inch thick half circles
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups short grain rice
¼ - ½ teaspoon ground saffron or saffron threads
5 to 6 cups simmering chicken stock
12 extra-large shrimps in their shells, shelled and deveined, leaving tails intact
12 hard-shelled clams, such as littlenecks, scrubbed
12 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 cup peas
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Method
1. Make the sofrito: In a heavy 12-inch skillet heat 3 tablespoons olive oil until hot, add the onions, and pepper strips and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring for 5 minutes more, until most of the liquid in the pan evaporates and the mixture is thick.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In the skillet heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderately high heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook it, turning. Add sausages and cook until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and deglaze pan with 1/2 cup dry white wine.
3. About 30 minutes before you plan to serve the paella, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a 14-inch paella pan or shallow casserole at least 14-inches in diameter, combine the sofrito, rice, and the saffron. Pour in 5 cups simmering stock and, stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Do not stir the paella once the rice is added. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, season with salt and arrange the chicken & sausage on top of the rice. Set the pan on the floor of the oven or the lowest shelf and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Next, arrange the shrimp, clams, and mussels on top of the rice. Scatter the peas at random over the whole and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, the grains are tender but not too soft, and the shell fish is cooked. If necessary, add the remaining cup stock, if the rice needs to be more soft. Once again, do not stir the paella.
4. Let paella stand at room temperature covered with a cloth for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with the lemons and parsley.