Prep time 10 min cook time 20 min
A delicious, quick version of Spain’s national dish, Paella, prepped and cooked in about 30 minutes. That’s right. 30 minutes!
As national dishes go, Spain’s Paella rates, in my book, among the top choices.
Few dishes have the complexity and variety of color, textures and tastes of Paella. Moist chicken thighs pair with a blend of creamy mussels, prawns and saffron rice to give you a kaleidoscope of visual sensations and flavors. It is a spectacular dish with a real sense of place that combines the taste of the sea with the warm feeling of sunshine emanating from the blend of these many ingredients.
However, that all usually comes at a cost. Time.
A good Paella requires a lot of time to prepare so that the many components meld together and any significant short cuts would be sacreligious. However, with a lot of experimantation and deep respect for the long traditions behind the dish, I have found a way to save time and using a regular frying pan capture its essence without too much compromise.
So, if you want to catch a few rays of culinary sunshine, here is a great way to do just that.
What you need (For two)
A pinch of saffron threads
1/2 cup short-grain rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock – divided. (cubes or organic Better Than Bouillon paste will do).
1 bay leaf
2/3 skinless boneless chicken thighs
2 tsp. sweet paprika
Salt and ground pepper
1tsp red pepper flakes
4 Tbsp olive oil divided
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 Tsp tomato paste
6 large raw shrimps, peeled and deveined
A cup of frozen peas
12 fresh mussels
What to do
Dissolve a generous pinch of saffron in 4 tablespoons of boiling water and set aside.
In a saucepan add a 1 tablespoon olive oil and rice and over a medium heat stir for a minute to coat grains.
Add 1 cup chicken stock, saffron liquid (with stamens) and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking cut chicken thighs in half, add salt and ground black pepper and dust with sweet paprika.
Heat 3bsp. oil in large frying pan or skillet, garlic, red peppers, onion, bell pepper, chicken, chorizo and stir. Break up sausage meat and cook on a medium heat, stirring periodically, for 10 minutes.
Add I cup chicken stock and tomato purée and simmer uncovered or 15 minutes.
Add shrimp and mussels to the chicken mixture and cook, stirring periodically, for 3 minutes.
Test that chicken is cooked and serve over rice.
Jacquie Wise
Oh YEAH!