This year for the "Welcome Fall" feast--we are going to try something different! PAELLA! Paella is a traditional Spanish dish prepared by simmering together chicken, seafood, rice, vegetables, and saffron and other seasonings. Not generally something you think of around this time--but warm and hearty for those cool Autumn/Winter nights!! I can hardly wait to sink my teeth into it!!
Paella
Serves 6-8
1 1/4 lb chicken, cubed
1/2 lb lean pork, cubed
3/8 c olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1/2 clove of garlic
1 tbs minced parsley
1 pimento, chopped
1/2 med onion minced
1/2 tsp saffron (the good stuff)
2 tsp salt
1 quart real chicken broth
2 cups rice
6 large or 12 small stuffed olives, minced
2 7oz lobster tails, cut in pieces
1/2 lb large shrimp, cut in pieces
1T dry sherry
1/2 c cooked green peas
In dutch oven best for this) brown chicken and pork in 1/4 c of
olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika and add garlic and a little of
the onion while cooking. Remove chicken and pork from pan. To the
pan add the rest of the oil and onion with the parsley. Cook until
the onion is soft. Add the rice and glaze the rice (if you haven't
done this is is a process of sort of stir frying the rice before
you cook it -- similar to what you do with bulgar -- it usually
takes about 5 minutes at medium heat).
Return chicken and pork to the pot. Add the chicken broth, saffron
and salt (ground together with mortar and pestle) and olives. Heat
until boiling. Cover and place in the oven at 350. This will take
30 min to 45 min to cook depending on the kind of rice that you
use and how well your dutch oven makes use of heat.
Steam the shrimp and the lobster. When rice is done add the lobster,
shrimp, sherry and peas. Bake and additional 5-10 minutes.
