Si, quiero Paella

I have a new favorite foodie website.  It’s full of creative recipes accompainied by gorgeous photos.  Take a peek:

Food 52

I have prepared over a half a dozen recipes in the past few weeks, and everything has been outstanding.  Seriously.  These are blow your hair back kinda concoctions. I had a taste for Paella about  a month ago and stumbled upon this recipe.  OMG. It’s soo good, I’ve already made it twice this month.  I considered having a Spanish themed Thanksgiving so I could make it a third.

I tweaked the original recipe a little by adding some additional meats/seafood, but this is definitely a dish I’ll be making for years to come…especially for company.  It’s soooo good, soooo easy and everyone thinks it’s a really exotic and difficult dish to make. And it’s okay to let ’em keep thinking that ;0)

Sextuple Surprise Paella

Triple Surprise Paella (or sextuple, in this case)

Serves 4

• 4 Chicken drumsticks (I like to use chicken wings)
• 3 Links of Pork Chorizo (I used one Andouille and one Chorizo)
• 1 pound Shrimp (shelled and deveined), seasoned with salt and pepper
• ½ pound mussels
• ½ pound crab legs
• 3 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 Med. Red Onion (sliced)
• 2 cups Bell pepper (diced, assorted colors)
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 1 1/2 cup Arborio Rice
• 3/4 cups Olives (sliced, assorted types – green and kalamata work great)
• 1/2 teaspoon Fresh thyme leaves (whole)
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin (ground)
• 1/4 teaspoon Saffron springs (can be found behind the pastry counter at the DeKalb Farmer’s Market — $7.99/gram)
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• evoo (for pan)

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF
2. In a 12″ saute pan (or 18″ paella pan) add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Put pan over medium to high heat.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and sear both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Place chorizo in pan and sear both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Add onion to pan and cook until soft.
6. Add garlic, peppers and olives. Continue to saute for 5 – 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add rice and saute for 3 – 5 minutes (until rice begins to toast)
8. Add chicken stock.
9. Add cumin, saffron, bay leaves and thyme. Salt and pepper to taste.
10. Add chicken and chorizo to pan. Arrange in decorative fashion. Cover with foil.
11. Place pan in preheated oven. Cook for 45 minutes.
12. Add shrimp, mussels and crab legs and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve.

Gettin' started

Toasting the Arborio rice

You can sub Turmeric (poor man's Saffron) for Saffron threads

Going in the oven

Ready to be topped with seafood

Delicious one-dish dinner

Check out the original recipe here.

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