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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Chicken & Chorizo Paella






This was my second attempt at Paella and this time I went for a chicken and chorizo version for my non shell fish family eaters : ) This time I slightly burnt the bottom attempting to make that  caramelized crust on the bottom of the pan, called a socarrat. Making that exquisite soccarrat is very risky but I am told that after a few endeavors I should have it down and it will be well worth the risk, and I am not one to give up too easily : ) I also realized I used way too much chorizo as it over powered the rice which is after the star of this dish so I have adjusted the recipe to show these changes.
Ingredients (My recipe has been adapted from the  La Paella pan booklet)
(14 inch pan which serves 4 see modification chart for different sized paella pans below)
1 medium chorizo sliced like thickish pepperoni slices
pinch saffron threads
3 cups water with chicken bouillon  added or just use chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
sea salt to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 pounds chicken thighs boned and skinned
1 whole garlic bulb raw if just using for falvor but if wanting to serve with the paella roast it ahead of time
4 ounces frozen peas
6 garlic cloves minced
1 onion chopped fine
1 tomato peeled and grated on large grate
1 red bell pepper diced small
1 1/2 cups medium grain rice (My Dad always used Uncle Ben's Converted rice)
2 lemons cut into wedges
Directions 
Note: The paella pan must be turned through out the cooking in a circular motion for even heating.
Boil the water & bouillon/chicken broth with salt and saffron covered for about 10 minutes, taste for salt, turn off heat and set
aside.
 Heat oil in paella pan on medium high and saute the chicken until just cooked through then add  chorizo and slightly crisp up remove  both from pan set aside on plate.
Turn heat down to medium and in the oil saute the sofrito:onion, pepper, garlic, and tomato until dark burgundy adding a little water here and there if starting to burn, about 10-15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste again..
Bring broth back to boil.
Add the rice and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add the wine and most of the saffron broth at this time (reserve a bit for end if needed) stir or shake to evenly distribute rice turn up heat to a vigorous simmer.
Place the garlic bulb in the middle.
At this point no more stirring of rice but turning of pan is needed.
After rice and liquid are at same level (8-10 minutes) lower heat to medium and arrange the chicken, chorizo, and peas on top simmer gently for another 10 minutes or until rice has absorbed all the liquid about 10 more minutes.Turning pan as needed.
If it is not finished (check a rice grain and it should be al dente or chewy with tiny white dot in the center) add more broth and continue cooking a few more minutes.
Arrange the shrimp and chorizo on top and turn up heat to high, turning pan in circles to create  a crust on the bottom (socarrat) but be careful not to burn  this only takes 1-2 minutes!
Squeeze lemon all over and arrange more wedges on top of paella.
Serve right away with bread and a good Spanish Red Wine!

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