Paella

 

Spice Mix for Chicken, recipe to follow

8-9 Chicken Thighs

1/4 cup Olive Oil

5 Sausages, sliced (Johnson's)

1 Sweet Onion, sliced

4-5 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 30 oz can Tomatoes, crushed

4 cups Short Grain Rice

6 1/2 cups Water

Generous Pinch Saffron Threads

1 1/2 pounds Seafood Mix (shrimp, scallops, clams)

1 cup Frozen Peas, thawed out

1 Lemon, cut into wedges and grilled

Salt, Pepper, to taste

Chicken Spice Mix

1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika

1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence

1 tablespoon Kosher Salt

1 tablespoon Black Pepper

In a small bowl, mix all the spices together.  Generously rub all over the chicken.  Place chicken in a Zip Lock Bag.  Marinate in a refrigerator for 2-3 hours, or overnight.

Heat oil in a paella dish over medium-high heat.  Saute sausages until browned, remove and reserve.

Add chicken skin side down, brown on all the side for about 10 minutes.  Remove and reserve.

 In the same pan make a sofrito by sauteing the onion, garlic, and parsley for about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper.  Saute for another 5-7 minutes, until the flavors meld.

Fold in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains. Pour in water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Season with salt and pepper.  

 Add chicken, sausages, and saffron.  Give the paella a good shake and let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, for about 15 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, when the rice is filling the pan, add the seafood mix.  Cover with foil and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until shrimp turns pink and clams open up.  Add the peas.  When the paella is cooked and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toast at the bottom, then it's perfect.

Place grilled Lemon wedges over the top.

Serves 10-12.

* You can find paella pan in Bed Bath and Beyond for $20.  I used grill BBQ to make the paella.  You can control the temperature of the heat, which helps to achieve the perfect crispy bottom of the paella.

The ideal paella has a toasted rice bottom called socarrat.

I closely followed Tyler Florence recipe on this one, just making few adjustments to my dish.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-paella-recipe/index.html

Clam Chowder

3 6oz cans Clams, drain and reserve juice

3 Garlic Cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons Butter

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Few Sprigs of Thyme

3 slices Apple Smoked Bacon, cut into small pieces

1 small White Onion, chopped

1/2 cup Flour

2 Russet Potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups Vegetable Stock, or your favorite

2 cups Whole Milk

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Bay Leaves

Pinch of Cayenne

Salt, Pepper, to taste

In a small sauce pan, melt butter and one tablespoon of olive oil, over low heat.  Add chopped garlic, clams, and sprigs of thyme.  Let the clams simmer in butter-garlic mixture for about 10 minutes.  Move over to the side, off the heat.

Preheat a large pan over medium-high heat, and add one tablespoon of olive oil.  Add bacon, and saute for about 4-5 minutes, until golden.  Add chopped onion, salt, pepper, and saute for another 3-4 minutes. 

Add the flour, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Turn the heat to high, and add the reserved clam juice and vegetable stock.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Stir well to make sure the flour gets incorporated in the stock.

Turn the heat to medium, add the potatoes, and whole milk.  Season with cayenne, fresh ground pepper, and salt if needed.  Add Bay leaves.  Turn the heat back up to high, and bring the soup to boil. 

Once it boils, turn the heat to low, add the butter-clam mixture, and cook for about 20-25 minutes.

With the back of the wooden spoon break some of the potatoes down.  Adds creaminess to the soup, as it thickens it up at the same time...

Discard Bay leaves and Thyme...

Serves 6

*One of my old recipes that my friends and family love!!!!