Key West Paella Recipe
Ingredients
| Dried Spanish pork chorizo, good red Italian pepperoni or salami - 1/2 pound | ||
| Large or jumbo shrimp - 1 pound | ||
| Frying chicken - 1 OR Chicken thighs - 3 pounds | ||
| Salt | 1 To taste | |
| Ground pepper | 1 To taste | |
| Olive oil | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Onion | 1 | |
| Garlic | 1 Clove (5gm), finely chopped | |
| Lean pork - 1/2 pound, cut into 1 -inch cubes | ||
| Fresh or canned tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped | ||
| Paprika | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Lemon juice | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Saffron - 1/3 to 1 tablespoon (optional) | ||
| Chicken broth | 1 Can (10oz) | |
| Rice - 2 1/2 cups, preferably imported short grain rice Arborio or Valenciano | ||
| Red or green bell pepper - 1/2, finely chopped | ||
| Frozen green peas | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Red snapper, flounder, sea bass or orange roughly - 1 pound, in 1-inch cubes | ||
| Mussels, clams and/or scallops - 1 to 1 /2 pounds | ||
| Parsley | 2 Tablespoon, chopped | |
Directions
GETTING READY
1) Preheat oven to temperature of 400 degrees.
2) Skin the sausage and slice it into 1/8-inch rounds.
3) If preferred, peel the shrimp, leaving the tails intact or take off only the legs and leave shells on.
4) In case whole chicken is being used, cut it into 8 pieces.
MAKING
5) Dry the chicken pieces and season them well with salt and pepper.
6) In a large skillet, heat ¼ cup of olive oil till it is sizzling. Add the chicken, skin side down, and brown well on 1 side.
7) Turn the pieces and brown the other side as well.
8) Transfer the hot chicken to a bowl and set aside.
9) In the lemon juice as well as some chicken broth, soak the saffron thread if using.
10) In a casserole, paella pan or large ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil till it is sizzling.
11) Chop the onions and garlic finely and add to the oil. Cook till soft.
12) Add the pork and saute briefly.
13) Peel the tomato and seed. Chop roughly.
14) Add the tomato to the pan along with the paprika. Cook, stirring, till most of the juice has evaporated.
15) Add the salt, rice and the saffron along with its soaking liquid to the onion mixture. Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
16) In a different pan, mix the chicken broth with just enough water to make 5 cups of liquid. Bring to a boil.
17) Pour the hot liquid onto the rice and onion mixture.
18) Bring the contents back to a boil quickly, stirring constantly.
19) Take the preparation off the heat and arrange the chicken, sausage, pork and bell pepper over the rice. Top with the shelled peas.
20) In the lowest part of the preheated oven, set the pan and bake for about 10 minutes.
21) Remove, scatter the lobster, fish and shrimp all over and return to the oven. Cook for another 5 minutes, till the liquid has all evaporated.
22) Add the clams, mussels and/or scallops. Return to the oven and cook for another 5 minutes, till the entire liquid has evaporated.
23) Take the preparation out of the heat and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, draped with a towel.
SERVING
24) Transfer the hot paella to a serving bowl, top with chopped parsley and serve while still piping hot. Makes a good main course dish.
1) Preheat oven to temperature of 400 degrees.
2) Skin the sausage and slice it into 1/8-inch rounds.
3) If preferred, peel the shrimp, leaving the tails intact or take off only the legs and leave shells on.
4) In case whole chicken is being used, cut it into 8 pieces.
MAKING
5) Dry the chicken pieces and season them well with salt and pepper.
6) In a large skillet, heat ¼ cup of olive oil till it is sizzling. Add the chicken, skin side down, and brown well on 1 side.
7) Turn the pieces and brown the other side as well.
8) Transfer the hot chicken to a bowl and set aside.
9) In the lemon juice as well as some chicken broth, soak the saffron thread if using.
10) In a casserole, paella pan or large ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil till it is sizzling.
11) Chop the onions and garlic finely and add to the oil. Cook till soft.
12) Add the pork and saute briefly.
13) Peel the tomato and seed. Chop roughly.
14) Add the tomato to the pan along with the paprika. Cook, stirring, till most of the juice has evaporated.
15) Add the salt, rice and the saffron along with its soaking liquid to the onion mixture. Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
16) In a different pan, mix the chicken broth with just enough water to make 5 cups of liquid. Bring to a boil.
17) Pour the hot liquid onto the rice and onion mixture.
18) Bring the contents back to a boil quickly, stirring constantly.
19) Take the preparation off the heat and arrange the chicken, sausage, pork and bell pepper over the rice. Top with the shelled peas.
20) In the lowest part of the preheated oven, set the pan and bake for about 10 minutes.
21) Remove, scatter the lobster, fish and shrimp all over and return to the oven. Cook for another 5 minutes, till the liquid has all evaporated.
22) Add the clams, mussels and/or scallops. Return to the oven and cook for another 5 minutes, till the entire liquid has evaporated.
23) Take the preparation out of the heat and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, draped with a towel.
SERVING
24) Transfer the hot paella to a serving bowl, top with chopped parsley and serve while still piping hot. Makes a good main course dish.
Chef
