Valencian Paella

Recently, I received an blog update from The Daring Gourmet where she had a recipe for Valencian Paella that looked absolutely heavenly. I just knew I had to try it and somehow my mind just latched onto some weird ‘Valencia/Valentine’ word association and here we are, me proposing you enjoy this dish with your someone special this Valentine’s Day. You could start your romantic dinner with a sous vide lobster cocktail while sipping champagne, enjoy this flavorful paella with a crisp viognier or a beautiful dry rosé, then finish with dessert… Heck at that point you are on your own, I got you this far! And with that, I bid everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day – whether you are single or committed.

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Valencian Paella

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

8 oz boneless chicken, cut into bite sized pieces (breast or thigh, your choice)
2 oz Spanish chorizo, sliced thinly
4 oz 16-25 prawns, peeled and deveined (shells reserved)
1 cup paella rice (arborio works in a pinch)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium garlic clove, minced
pinch of saffron
2 cups chicken stock (or 1 cup chicken and 1 cup seafood stock)
1 cup of hot water
4 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 - 3 inch lengths
2 oz roasted piquillo peppers
salt and pepper to taste
smoked paprika for garnish (I did not find it necessary to add)
chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

In a paella pan or large skillet, heat the olive oil over Medium/Medium-High heat.
Add the prawn shells and brown to extract their flavor, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes.
This step is optional, but it adds a lot of flavor.
Remove the shells with a slotted spoon and discard.
Add the chicken to the flavored oil and cook only until no longer pink, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a clean bowl using a slotted spoon.
Add the chorizo and cook just until the edges are brown on each side, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
As the chorizo nears completion, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add the rice to the oil and stir around to soak up the flavored, red hued oil.
Spread the rice and chorizo into an even layer, then add the chicken in an even layer, the green beans.
Place ingredients for the best final presentation.
Add the stock and water in a circular pattern to not disturb the rice and other ingredients.
Crush the saffon and sprinkle over top the stock.
Finally add the roasted piquillo peppers.
When the liquid is simmering along the edge, reduce the heat to Medium-Low and cook undisturbed and uncovered for 25 minutes. If the pan goes dry, add small amounts (1/4 to ½ cup) of hot water in a circular fashion to keep the bottom from burning.
Do not stir!
After 25 minutes, test a few rice grains from the edge for doneness.
The rice should be toothsome and flavorful, but not hard and bland.
Increase the heat to Medium/Medium-High, cooking covered for 10 minutes.
After 5 minutes, uncover and add the prawns in an appealing manner, then cover and finish cooking.
When done, remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.
Serve and garnish with chopped parsley and a little smoked paprika, if desired.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from The Daring Gourmet.

In a paella pan or large skillet, heat the olive oil over Medium/Medium-High heat. Add the prawn shells and brown to extract their flavor, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes. This step is optional, but it adds a lot of flavor.

Remove the shells with a slotted spoon and discard. Add the chicken to the flavored oil and cook only until no longer pink, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a clean bowl using a slotted spoon. Add the chorizo and cook just until the edges are brown on each side, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

As the chorizo nears completion, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the rice to the oil and stir around to soak up the flavored, red hued oil.

Spread the rice and chorizo into an even layer,

then add the chicken in an even layer,

and the green beans.

Place ingredients for the best final presentation. Add the stock and water in a circular pattern to not disturb the rice and ingredients. Crush the saffon and sprinkle over top the stock.

Finally add the roasted piquillo peppers.

When the liquid is simmering along the edge, reduce the heat to Medium-Low and cook undisturbed and uncovered for 25 minutes. If the liquid is gone, add small amounts of hot water in a circular fashion to keep the bottom from burning. Do not stir! After 25 minutes, test a few rice grains from the edge for doneness. The rice should be toothsome and flavorful, but not hard and bland.

Increase the heat to Medium/Medium-High, cooking covered for 10 minutes. After 5 minutes, uncover and add the prawns in an appealing manner, then cover and finish cooking.