Yesterday was Valentine's Day and Katherine and I had plans to go to a cute Latin bistro downtown for some paella and maybe some rioja. She came down with a massive headache and we had to cancel our reservations. I decided to try out some of the great cookware she has purchased recently and made paella myself! It wasn't too difficult, so here is my recipe (modified from here.)
Ingredients
Preparation
Ingredients
- # 1 [6 1/2-ounce 184-mL] can chopped clams
- # Water
- # 2 tablespoons [30 mL] vegetable oil
- # 1 pound [454 g] chicken breast, rib meat and skin removed
- # 1 large onion, chopped
- # 1 1/2 cups [375 mL] uncooked paella rice
- # 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- # 2 [10-ounce / 284-mL each] cans chicken broth concentrate
- # 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 mL] curcuma (AKA tumeric)
- # 1 teaspoon [5 mL] pepper
- # 10 ounces [284 g] frozen small peas
- # 1/2 pound [227 g] medium-size shrimp, shelled and veins removed
- # Parlsey [optional, to decorate]
- # Lemon segments [optional, to decorate]
Preparation
- # Drain clams, reserving liquid; add enough water to the juice to get 1 1/4 cups [310 mL] liquid; reserve.
- # Heat vegetable oil in a 24-cup [6-L] casserole, over medium-high heat; slice chicken breast into inch-wide strips; fry chicken breast for 10 minutes [until golden brown]; remove chicken from casserole, cut into bite-sized chunks and set aside.
- # Into hot coking juices, cook together onion, rice and garlic, until rice is light brown, stirring often.
- # Stir in reserved clam juice mixed with water, chicken broth, curcuma, pepper and reserved chicken; bring to a boil.
- # Lower heat to medium-low.
- # Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- # Mix in reserved clams, peas and shrimp.
- # Cover; simmer for 5 minutes, until shrimp are pink, no longer translucent.
- # Serve, garnished, if desired, with parsley and lemon segments.