Micaela's Paella
Growing up in Europe and Asia meant growing up with a diverse palate. In Andalusia, Spain, my mother’s favorite dish was Paella. It’s a rice dish that made her feel at home because she was Asian and grew up with rice at every meal, she missed it very much. Here is a basic Paella recipe.
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ pound meat, like chicken thighs, chorizo, pork, etc. (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, finely sliced or chopped
2 cups rice
1 (generous) pinch saffron
3 cups liquid (chicken, lobster or vegetable stock; water; sherry, etc., or a combination)
1/2 cup sherry
½ pound seafood, like shrimp, mussels, squid, etc. (optional)
½ pound vegetables, such as bottled artichokes, olives, tomatoes, snow peas, or mushrooms
PREPARATION
Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add about 1/2 pound of meat (or a combination of meats), sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until nicely browned. Add one chopped onion and some minced bell pepper at the same time if you like and cook until soft. (If you want a meatless paella, skip right to the onion.)
Add 2 cups rice and (if you have it) a pinch of saffron and cook, stirring, until shiny. Add 3 1/2 cups of your liquid of choice (see ingredients above), heated, and stir until just combined, then stir in seafood (or lay it on top of the rice). Again, skip the seafood if you want vegetarian paella.
Cook over medium-high heat, undisturbed. If the pan is too big for your burner, move it around a little; but after that initial stirring, leave it alone. When the mixture starts to dry, begin tasting the rice; if the liquid amount seems O.K., keep going. If the rice seems quite tough, add another 1/2 cup or so of liquid. And if you can smell the bottom starting to burn, lower the heat a bit. About halfway through the cooking (about 10 minutes), add any vegetables, adjust seasonings and stir gently, just once.
The rice is done when tender and still a bit moist; if the mixture has stuck to the bottom of the pan, congratulations: you have socarrat, a characteristic of good paella. This should be served in the pan, in the middle of the table, and dinner guests — up to six — should fight over it.
Lessons from my Mother:
Your secret weapon is always the most fresh and seasonal ingredients.
I used organic produce and rice, just because.
When shopping for seafood, if you are able, sniff the seafood first - any hint of ‘fishy’ smell is a sign that it’s not as fresh as it could be.
I use a combination of madeira (or sherry), chicken stock, and water in my cooking liquid.
Be careful when cooking rice, it needs to be watched constantly. Even a moment away can result in burnt or overcooked grains, not the yummy socarrat everyone fights for.
Stirring constantly is important because it ensures all your ingredients become fully incorporated, are evenly heated, and allows all the flavors to blend.
I like to use extra prawns in paella because they look beautiful.
If you have leftovers, they will taste better the next day because all the flavors will have completely mellowed overnight.
