The world famous rice dish! Perfect for any gathering.
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
6 cups of very strong chicken broth (bouillon)
1/2 tsp of saffron
1/4 tsp of smoked Spanish paprika (Pimentón de la Vera).
1 small onion, peeled
2 small chickens, about 2-1/2 lbs each
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 lb of cooking chorizo, in 1/4 inch slices
1/4 lb piece jamón serrano ham, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
4 tbsp chopped garlic
2 roasted piquillo peppers
1 lb small or medium shrimp, shelled
2 (Optional) Live lobsters, boiled, split and divided into tail sections and claws(discard or keep the head and small claws); or
4 (Optional) Lobster tails, split lengthwise;
8 (Optional) King crab claws; or
8 jumbo shrimp, in their shells, preferably heads on
3 cups Bomba or Calasparra rice or other short grain Spanish rice
5 tbsp chopped parsley
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 lb fresh or frozen peas
18 clams and/or mussels, scrubbed
Lemon wedges for garnish
Parsley for garnish
Preparation:
Heat the broth with the saffron, pimentón and the whole onion. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove the onion and measure the broth -- you need exactly 5-1/2 cups.
Cut the chickens into small serving pieces -- the whole breast in 4 parts, each thigh into 2 parts, the bony tip of the leg chopped off, the wing tip discarded, and the rest of the wing separated into 2 parts. Dry the pieces well and sprinkle with salt.
In a metal Paella pan, with about a 15 inch base, heat the oil. Add the chicken pieces and fry over high heat until golden. Remove to a warm platter. Add the chorizo, and jamón to the pan and stir fry about 10 minutes. Add the chopped onion, scallions, garlic, and pimentos and saute until the onion is wilted. Add the shrimp and the lobster and saute about 3 minutes more, or until the shrimp and lobster barely turn pink (the lobster will cook more in the oven.) Remove the shrimp and lobster to the platter with the chicken. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat it well with the oil. Sprinkle in the 5 tablespoons of chopped parsley and the crumbled bay leaves. (You can make in advance up to this point.)
Stir in the chicken broth, boiling hot, the wine, rice, and peas. Salt to taste. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, over medium high heat about 10 minutes. Bury the shrimp and the chicken in the rice. Add the clams and the mussels, pushing them into the rice, with the edge that will open facing up. Decorate the paella with the lobster pieces, then bake at 325 F, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let sit on top of the stove, lightly covered with foil, for about 10 minutes. To serve, decorate with lemon wedges and chopped parsley.
Lobster can be a little expensive, so replace it with a comparable amount of shrimp if you wish!
Gazpacho -- Homemade from Jerez de la Frontera
This is a well-balanced and digestible version of one of the favorite dishes of Andalucía.
When you use truly ripe tomatoes and sherry vinegar it is not overly acidic; the cucumbers add a suave element as does the French bread – both important ingredients.
Check the strength of the garlic; use the bell pepper and onion sparingly (food processors accent flavors).
Ingredients:
2 lbs ripe summer tomatoes
2 cucumbers
1 small sweet onion (optional)
1/4 yellow, red, or green bell pepper (yellow is mildest)
4 slices French bread, moistened
1 1/2 tsp chopped purple garlic (3 cloves)
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp salt, to taste
4 Tbsp sherry vinegar
Preparation:
Briefly plunge ripe tomatoes in boiling water to loosen skins. Peel and cut tomatoes and place in food processor. Add moistened French bread after squeezing out excess water.
Add chopped garlic, peppers, olive oil, Sherry vinegar, cucumbers, onion, and salt (to taste).
Process ingredients to the texture you prefer.
You can adjust the thickness by adding more or less French bread. Serve chilled.
Basic Sangria Recipe
A very simple, basic sangria recipe. While this sangria is delicious as is, this recipe intentionally leaves ample room for improvisation and additions, and should therefore be used as a springboard to create your own unique sangria recipes. The unaltered basic sangria recipe below.
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups ( 26 fl. oz) dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Juice of 1 large orange
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 large orange, sliced thin crosswise
- 1 large lemon, sliced thin crosswise
- 2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz) club soda
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients except for the club soda in a large punch bowl or serving pitcher, mixing well. Refrigerate overnight. Immediately before serving, mix in the club soda for added fizz. Ladle into cups with ice cubes.