Passport & Plate - Paella Mixta
Spain | Monday, March 10, 2014 | 5 photos
Ingredients*
-2 cups bomba (paella) rice, rinsed and well drained
-3-4 cups fish or chicken broth
-Pinch of saffron or Paellero seasoning mix, if available
-8 oz. (225 g) pork, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch (2 cm) cubes
-1 lb. (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 inch (2 cm) pieces
-8 oz. (225 g) medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined (shells saved if making broth)
-8 oz. (225 g) Spanish chorizo, cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) slices
-1 cup of frozen peas, thawed
-Olive oil
-1 cup of sofrito (recipe below)
Sofrito
Ingredients
-1 medium onion
-2-3 cloves of garlic
-1 medium red bell pepper, seeded
-1 medium-large red tomato, seeded
-Vegetable or olive oil
Heat the broiler. Cut the bell pepper and tomato in half and cover lightly with oil. Place the cut pepper and tomato, skin side up, on a cookie sheet. Broil until tomato skin is loose (about 2-3 minutes) and pepper skin is starting to blacken (5-10 minutes). Remove from oven and let the tomato cool. Wrap the blackened pepper while still hot in paper towel and place in plastic bag to steam off the skin. Mince the onion and garlic and set aside. Once pepper and tomato has cooled, finely dice and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until shimmering, then add onion. Cook until translucent, then add garlic, cook for 30 seconds. Add diced bell pepper and tomatoes and cook until starting to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
*Notes on the Ingredients
-You can substitute an arborio rice if paella rice is not available.
-Fish broth can be made out of the shells of shrimp by boiling together until the shells turn bright pink. If you are able to obtain shrimp with the heads on, do not peel the shrimp as sucking out the brains is a tradition in Spain.
-Spanish chorizo is generally available at specialty markets in cured form, but it is best to find it in raw form or semi-curado (partially cured) as the fully cured version can become very tough.
How to prepare this recipe
This recipe is designed for use on a charcoal grill. Using large chimney starter, light 6 quarts charcoal briquettes and burn until coals are fully ignited, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill, spreading them in even single layer. Position grill grate over coals and heat grate 5-10 minutes.
Bring the broth to a boil in a small pan. Add the saffron or Paellero mix and stir. Set aside, keeping it warm until needed.
Dry pork and chicken with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the paella pan (on stovetop, over med-high heat) until shimmering, cook the chorizo until the edges are browned and meat is cooked through. Remove the chorizo to a clean plate (do not wipe the pan) and cook the pork until browned on all sides (1-2 minutes per side). Remove the pork and add to chorizo plate, then cook the chicken until browned on all sides; add the chicken to the plate. Set meats aside.
Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil and add the rice. Sauté until the grains are starting to become translucent on the edges, before the rice browns. Add the sofrito. Mix in and cook until blended and the garlic begins to smell, about 1 minute. Slowly pour about 3/4 of the broth mixture into the pan and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer.
Mix in the meats, distributing around the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer again and cover the grill (or put in the oven). Let cook for about 10 minutes, checking at 8 minutes. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more broth around the edges. When the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, add the peas, gently stirring them into the rice. Cover and cook for another minute. Add the raw shrimp to the top of the paella and cover again, letting the shrimp cook until pink (about 1-3 minutes).
Remove the paella from the grill and let sit uncovered for about 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty baguette.
The story behind this recipe
December 28, 1999, after a tearful goodbye to my family, I stepped onto the first of three flights bound for Spain, where I would meet my uncle Tavi and begin my six months of study abroad. I was 19 years old and had never left the country or been away from my family for more than a few months. I had no idea at the time the impact that one decision would have on my life.
The moment I walked through the front door of his warm flat in Elche, I was welcomed with open arms and love. I should note that my mom has 10 siblings. Since I grew up in Seattle, far from the rest of my extended family, I barely knew them; but they took me into their home and showed me in every way that I belonged.
My uncle Tavi taught me a lot about life and food. It wasn’t about showing off or being perfect - I rarely saw the man use any kind of measuring device. It was about being together. When uncle Tavi would make his paella for someone, it meant you were special. It was more than exposing you to Spain’s national dish. It meant you were family. Sharing his recipe and techniques with me, I felt like I was let in on a secret.
My uncle’s life was tragically cut short in 2005 when he was in car accident. Nine years later and it still saddens me that I’ll never hear him say again, “Hola honey bunny! Miss you! Come and eat some paella.” Through cooking, and specifically this dish, I feel that connection to him again. My mom and I have altered the process slightly and make the rice similarly to the way she taught me to make Mexican rice as a child, but I think my uncle would be ok with that. It’s not about doing it right, it’s about doing it the right way for me.
I believe that you share a piece of yourself with each dish. When I share this meal with my guests, I am sharing a piece of my history with my favorite uncle, my experiences in a country I love as my own, and a welcome into not just my house, but my home.
