Positively Perfect Paella

The most perfect meal has to be paella. Full of vegetables, proteins and crunchy rice, this Spanish dish is so completely delicious, you’ll wonder how you have lived so long without it. Here’s the version SuperHubs created to blow the minds of our unsuspecting dinner guests.  😛

Paella by SuperHubs 

8 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breast, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 pound Spanish chorizo
1/2 pound uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 mussels
6 littleneck clams
6 cloves of minced garlic
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 lemon, sliced in wedges
6 cups chicken broth
3 cups paella or arborio short grain rice
1/4 teaspoon saffron
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

In a mortar or micro-processor, mash to a paste the garlic, parsley, saffron and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add chicken broth to a saucepan and heat on low setting.

In a 17-inch paella pan or shallow casserole dish, heat six tablespoons of oil.  Briefly sauté the shrimp and remove to a warm platter (they should not be fully cooked). In the same pan, add chicken.  Season with salt and brown on medium heat. Set aside. Add the chorizo, cook 1-2 minutes and remove to platter. Add remaining oil and mix in onion and bell pepper, cook until slightly softened. Add tomato and cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in rice and paprika and stir.

Pour in the hot chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add the mortar mixture, salt to taste and continue to boil for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the reserved chicken, shrimp and chorizo, and add the peas, and continue to boil for two more minutes until the liquid is no longer soupy but there is enough liquid to cook the rice.

Place the clams and mussels where you want them in the pan, and place the pan in the oven to cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until rice is almost al dente.  Remove and cover with foil to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste.  Garnish with lemon wedges.

You can make the pan the centerpiece of the table and let your guests serve themselves.

Serve with our Summery Rosé Cooler or Kevin’s Texas Summer Beer. Enjoy!