baked rice and seafood with sausage
Shrimp and fish paella
This dish from Spain has endless variations. The base remains the same-a soft, melt away chorizo that coats every grain of rice to give it that awsome flavor. Try using clams or mussels, whatever fin fish is on sale, or bite size boneless chicken. You need a very large, deep frying pan or a paella pan.
8 ounces chorizo sausage from a vacuum sealed package, casing removed
1 red onion, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 pound peeled shrimp
1 pound fish fillet-this is halibut here
2 cups arborio rice
1 pound asparagus (optional)
salt and pepper
pinch of saffron
3 cups water
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 400.
Heat pan and oil over medium-high heat. Fry chorizo, onions and bell pepper until very browned and caramelized, lowering the heat to medium after a while to keep from burning. Season with salt and pepper.
Add rice to pan and stir, frying rice for a few minutes. Now add liquid and saffron to rice and bring to a simmer. Lay shrimp and fish on top of rice, followed by the asparagus if using. If you're using chicken, push the pieces into the rice as opposed to letting them sit on top. Let simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes until rice begins to swell. Now cover it and place in the oven for about 20 minutes or longer.
 onions, pepper and chorizo |
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The idea is for the rice to be done and tender underneath, and get a crispy ring around the outside and bottom of pan. If you're using clams or mussels, add them right before you put the pan in the oven. You might have to adjust liquid amounts some-fish and bivalves release more liquids than shrimp and chicken does. You may want to uncover the pan for the last few minutes in the oven if the rice is still too wet, you are looking for more of a fluffy texture than a sticky one. You will get better at this dish every time you make it, I promise.
