Sunday Supper: Fireside Paella
A few years ago, I hosted a paella party and photo shoot for Atlanta Magazine's Home it was actually the first feature in the reintroduced version of the magazine.It was a fabulous evening where I pulled together my colorful and delicious fireside paella recipe. I prepared it over an open flame, and it was such a wonder to see it come together in front of the guests eyes.Paella is a wonderful way to entertain guests while providing them with a delicious meal. Make this on a warm, spring Sunday afternoon and enjoy it with friends and family. Time to make the Paella.
Annette's Fireside Paella
You will need:
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoons paprika
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into quarters, stemmed, seeded, and ribs removed
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into quarters, stemmed, seeded, and ribs removed
- 2 tablespoons saffron + 2 cups warm water
- 6 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock
- 1 pounds chorizo cut into 3 inch pieces
- 2 cups pounds haricots verts trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- ½ onion chopped
- 4 cloves finely chopped garlic
- 1 pound pounds calamari, cleaned and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rings
- 16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 1 dozen mussels, scrubbed- 4 cups *Bomba rice
- 1/2 package frozen lima beans
- 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
- 2 freshly squeezed lemons
To prepare:
Place chicken in a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle chicken with paprika and 1/2 teaspoon salt; turn chicken to coat. Cover chicken and let marinate, refrigerated, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.Cut peppers crosswise into 1/4-inch strips; set aside. Using a mortar and pestle, grind together saffron. Add saffron mixture to a medium bowl and add 2 cups water. Whisk until well combined; set aside.If using a charcoal grill, make a fire in your grill. When the charcoals are completely covered in gray ash, hold your hand about 5 inches above the grill grid; count how many seconds you can comfortably leave it there. When you can hold it there for 1 to 2 seconds, you have high heat and are ready to cook. Alternatively, you can cook the paella on a stove over high heat.Place a 20-inch paella pan with 3-inch sides over desired heat source. Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil and heat, until pan is very hot, about 5 minutes. Add chicken thighs and cook, turning, until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add sausage and cook, turning, until browned, about 3 minutes then pull from the pan and set aside.Put onions, garlic, into the pan sauté until transparent and caramelized. Add rice and saffron water to onion garlic mixture, stir to coat, cook about 1 minute. Add 3 cups of stock and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, and haricots verts. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and sausages and add calamari, and shrimp, and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes more; add clams and mussels. Cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes, adding more stock as necessary.Add lima beans and peas and cook, until tender, about 3 minutes more. Season with salt and lemon juice; serve immediately.* Bomba Rice is a specialty Spanish Rice
xx Annette
Photos by Nicole Letts Sara Dorio