Text 32659, 99 rader
Skriven 2009-12-26 12:41:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: paella don'ts 577
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Paella dos and don'ts.

1. DO use paella rice. I couldn't find any and used arborio,
which is starchier. Maybe I should have sauteed it first in
a little oil, which is forbidden in the classic recipes.

2. DON'T believe them when they say to use a paelleria.

3. DO use a big enough one, whatever you use. The one
available to me was too big for one burner, too little
for two burners. The cooking was hideously uneven.

4. DON'T let your assistants stir the mess when you have
to go to the bathroom.

5. DO divide your paella into two batches if necessary.
The way I did it yielded overcooked rice on the bottom
and undercooked rice on top, until I gave in and covered
the pan with foil.

6. DON'T cover the pan with foil - but this means that
your rice has to be in a thin layer covered with liquid
at all times. The experts say 1/2" thick. Mine was 1 1/2"
thick, with the result described.

7. DO cook the meats and shellfish separately and then
put them on top. This really makes life easier.

8. DON'T serve the paella on individual plates; bring the
whole thing to the table and let people either eat off
the paelleria or put stuff on their own plates.

9. DO turn the heat way up for a half minute or so before
the end of cooking: the crust that forms on the bottom is
absolutely delicious.

My result was very nice tasting, but it was much more of
a risotto than a paella. The rice was creamy and wonderful,
which is utterly the wrong texture.

My risaella
cat: Christmas
servings: 8

h - note - for best results halve the recipe
h - vegetables
1 lg red bell pepper
1 sm green bell pepper
2 lg onions
1 stalk celery
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c flat parsley leaves, chopped
h - other stuff
1/2 c olive oil
2 c canned tomato puree or diced tomatoes
3 1/2 c arborio
- use paella rice for best results
4 c hot chicken stock
3 c white wine
1/2 c brandy
24 littlenecks
24 mussels
16 28/32 shrimp, peeled, cleaned
1 lb chorizo, sliced
1 lb chicken tenders, cubed

Grind, chop fine, or process vegetables. In a large
(or in hindsight, 2 large) paelleria, saute in olive
oil until fragrant and cooked down. Add tomatoes and
cook until all liquid has evaporated. Stir in rice and
chicken stock, which has been heated with 2 c wine.
(In hindsight, I'd cover the pan.) Bring to the boil
and reduce heat to medium-low. 

Steam littlenecks in remaining wine and brandy; I added
onion trimmings and more garlic as well as shrimp shells.
After a minute or two add the mussels. Cook until
shellfish open. Add the strained cooking liquid to
the main pan. Set the shellfish aside. I shelled the
mussels and kept the clams intact.

Saute chorizo in a bit of olive oil. As soon as they
have yielded a little fat, add the chicken cubes and
cook until white on the outside.

Arrange chorizo, chicken, and raw shrimp over the paella.

Cook uncovered (or covered as necessary) until rice is
tender. The shrimp will have to be turned once. If the
liquid level becomes too low, moisten with a bit of wine
or stock. When rice is al dente, turn the heat up to
medium-high to toast the bottom layer of rice to form
the "socarrat"; remove the pan(s) to the dining table
and serve. Every serving should include a bit of the
crunchy-chewy socarrat layer.

Source: moi, Christmas 2009
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