Practical Paella Recipe

How to make it

---

• I don't have a Paella pan and use my cast iron Dutch oven for the recipe.
• Ingredients for Paella can vary and we usually prefer the chicken, turkey sausage, (mock) seafood variation.
• The recipe can be prepared in stages and then put together.
• If you don't have authentic med-short grain Spanish rice , try another medium grain.
• Long grain rice works okay but the Spanish rice has the capability of absorbing the flavors and liquids the best.
• I have even used Basmati rice with success.
• Saffron is preferable but many can't afford this expensive spice so one may use yellow food color seasoning found at the ethnic ( Hispanic ) section of the supermarket or some turmeric.
• Paella is as colorful as well as tasty.
• Serve with a good bread and wine.
• Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika
• ( remove skin if desired ) and sauté till cooked and done.
• Set aside .
• Or another way is to cover chicken parts with water and vegetables
• ( such as celery, onion, carrots ) and make you own chicken broth.
• Remove chicken from broth and cut up in coarse pieces, and set aside.
• In a heavy duty large pan heat oil and cook onion till softened.
• Add rice and garlic and cook and stir until rice starts to color.
• Stir in tomato.
• Add 4 cups of hot chicken broth, salt and pepper and saffron ( or turmeric or another yellow color ) and bring to a boil, boiling several minutes without stirring.
• Lower heat to a simmer and cover and cook rice until almost tender and grains are almost separate.
• Rice may brown and stick to the bottom of the pan and this is okay.
• Cooking times vary , depending on the type of rice you use.
• Also you may need to add a bit more liquid ( more stock or a bit of wine ) if rice is too dry.
• It's better to be on the dry side than too mushy..
• The remainder of the ingredients will be added the last 15 minutes or so of rice cooking time.
• Meanwhile,slice sausage into rings, dice bell pepper and coarsely break up packaged mock seafood.
• Add the cooked chicken, sausage, bell pepper, seafood and peas on top of the almost cooked rice and cover and let cook about 10 to 15 minutes to heat and soften everything.
• Note: if you want to add shrimp or small clams ( or any small quick cooking seafood ) for more of an authentic dish they can be added to the rice the last 10 to 15 minutes or so of cooking time.
• Paella recipes, vary and you can tailor the recipe to your taste
• Garnish Paella, if desired with hard boiled eggs, and pimento strips or some chopped parsley.