Saturday, February 11, 2012

Seafood paella


1 1/2 lb. uncooked, cleaned shrimp
1/4 cup of olive oil
salt and pepper
Paprika
Dried Oregano
1 Yellow Onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Cups of Arborio rice
2 cups of chopped vine ripened tomatoes, need to be juicy, or 2 cups of diced canned tomatoes without juice
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4-5 cups of fresh chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp saffron powder (or a pinch of saffron threads)
1lb. clams
1/2 cup sweet peas, frozen
1 lemon
Heat oil in 14 in paella pan. when oil is hot, saute the onions, red bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and some of the parsley, reserve the other half for later. Cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Then, add tomatoes, season well and cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld, the vegetables should have a thick consistency. Fold in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains. Pour in chicken broth and make sure every grain of rice is covered with broth. Add half of the saffron and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs some of the liquid. Add the rest of the saffron and parsley. Continue simmering for another 5 minutes. Add the clams and shrimp, tucking them into the rice. The shrimp will take about 8 minutes to cook. Clams are cooked once they are fully opened. If they don't open, they are no good. Give the paella a good shake and let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is to the consistency you want, al dente or soft for about 15 minutes. Add peas about 5 minutes before paella is finished - when the rice looks fluffy and moist. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

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