Excellent!!! I often order Paella in resturants and I'm usually disappointed. This one rocks-maybe because it is cooked to order and eaten immediately. I searched high and low in Columbus, but Arborio rice was as close I could come. I did have a real paella pan and think this is part of the secret. The only changes I would make would be to increase slightly the quantity of shrimp and mussels and to add the peas at the same time as the mussels and reserved shrimp. I like them bright and green and adding with the rice over cooks them. Can't wait to try the other recipes in this series!!!
Mixed Paella (Paella Mixta)
This over-the-top Americanized paella gets its smoky kick from paprika and chorizo. Why "Americanized"? Traditional paella valenciana, as documented by David Rosengarten in "The Art of Paella" in our April 2010 issue, usually contains rabbit, snails, and chicken.
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Credit: Todd Coleman
INGREDIENTS
30 threads saffron, crushed (a scant 1⁄2 tsp.)1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2" pieces
10 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz. dry-cured Spanish chorizo, cut into 1⁄4"-thick coins
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 dried bay leaves
3 medium tomatoes, minced
1 small onion, minced
7 cups chicken broth
2 1⁄2 cups short-grain rice, preferably Valencia or bomba
1 9-oz. box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
8 oz. fresh or frozen peas
3 jarred roasted red peppers, torn into 1⁄2"-thick strips
12 mussels, cleaned and debearded
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Put saffron and 1⁄4 cup hot water in a small bowl; let sit for 15 minutes. Season chicken and shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 16"–18" paella pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, shrimp, and chorizo and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate, leaving meats in pan. Add paprika, garlic, bay leaves, tomatoes, and onions to pan and cook, stirring often, until onions soften, about 6 minutes. Add reserved saffron mixture and broth, season with salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.2. Sprinkle in rice, distribute evenly with a spoon, and add artichokes, peas, and peppers. Cook, without stirring, until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, 10–12 minutes. (If your pan is larger than the burner, rotate it every two minutes so different parts are over the heat and the rice cooks evenly.) Reduce heat to low, add reserved shrimp, and nestle in mussels hinge side down; cook, without stirring, until mussels have opened and rice has absorbed the liquid and is al dente, 5–10 minutes more. Remove pan from heat, cover with aluminum foil, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Ratings & Reviews (8)
I made this as a second entree for Easter. It was the best paella I have ever made and my guests loved it. I substituted clams for mussels and doubled the shrimp. The smoked paprika really enhanced the flavors and color.
An incredible recipe! So easy to make and so flavorful. My paella pan is smaller than what the recipe called for so I only used 2 cups of valenciana rice and about 4 cups of stock. I also used about 3/4 pound of the shrimp and added the peas later as the other reviewer suggested. I loved this recipe. I will definitely make it again for a party. We'll be gladly eating leftover for the next couple of days.
There is some technique missing from the Paella recipe... after adding rice to the pan with ingredients, move the pan around on the burners while pressing a spatula around the surface to keep some of the ingredients in the liquid. When the rice and liquid becomes thick and soupy, you're almost finished. Shimp could be added at the end, as it takes very little to cook and turn the shrimp pink. Also, put the dish in a 400 degree for about 10 minutes to give some roasting on the surface.
Excellent recipe! Made just as suggested in recipe, but put in shrimp at the end. Everyone loved it.
Great recipe, I substituted arborio rice and clams for mussels. I do not own a paella pan so I've never used one... but have always substituted a large roasting pan, and increased the recipe slightly. I've made paella on two burners of the stove and most recently (this recipe) I cooked the paella on my gas grill outside, cooked wonderfully evenly, and had one of the best 'socarrat' layers I've ever had on a paella. Cheers!
This recipe turned out pretty well in a dinner party with friends. We had to cook it on the grill and keep the cover closed as the stovetop wasn't a sufficient heat source. Can't really develop the socarrat without a stand-alone large gas burner, I think. We couldn't even properly create it on the grill without overcooking the rice. We also added squid which worked out well. All in all a good recipe.
Excellent paella recipe. My son just got back from Barcelona, where he feasted on paella, and I made this for his birthday dinner. He loved it. I followed the recipe except for adding the peas at the last minute, and got a great socarrat. Placed my paella pan on two burners on my gas stovetop in order to cook evenly.
Mixed Paella (Paella Mixta)
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