Otra Receta de Paella

Serves 6

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 large, ripe tomatoes

1 teaspoon sweet pimentón de la Vera (Spanish smoked paprika)

¼ teaspoon saffron threads

1½ pounds chicken thighs,

preferably boneless and skinless, chopped into bite-size pieces

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

½ pound mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, portobello, cremini and oyster, cut into large dice

4½ cups chicken stock

½ cup dry sherry

2 cups Calrose rice

10 blanched almonds, ideally

Marcona

1 clove garlic

½ bunch of Italian parsley

½ cup frozen peas

1. Slice tomatoes in half, and grate each on a box grater over a bowl. Discard skins; set pulp aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Lightly season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides until deep golden. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

3. Fry mushrooms until browned in oil and chicken fat. Set aside.

4. Set 18-inch paella pan over two burners at high heat on the stove top, and heat 1/3 cup olive oil. Add tomato pulp and cook until darkened, about 5 minutes. Add paprika and saffron, and cook for about 1 minute. Add chicken pieces and mushrooms; add sherry and cook until evaporated. Add chicken stock; bring to a boil.

5. In a food processor or mortar, puree parsley, garlic and almonds, with a tablespoon or two of water until smooth and stir into pan.

6. Sprinkle rice across the pan and stir until the grains are submerged, then don't stir again. Cook on high heat for 10 minutes, rotating the pan on the two burners to distribute heat. Using a small spoon, test rice and stock and add salt as needed. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 6 minutes. Test rice again. If it is still hard, continue cooking for 2-4 more minutes.

7. In the final 2 minutes, sprinkle frozen peas over the top and return heat to medium-high, listening for a crackling sound to ensure the bottom is toasting but not burning. Remove from heat, cover with paper towels and let sit for 5 minutes.

8. Use a metal spoon to scrape toasted rice from bottom of pan and serve.

Getting Paella Right

F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal

THE RICE

Bomba and Calasparra are two varieties considered best for paella in Spain. Don't use long grain. If you have to substitute, use arborio or Calrose.

MARCONA ALMONDS

F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal

Seek out this rounder, sweeter variety—typically fried in olive oil—for use in the dish and as a pre-paella snack.

PIQUILLO PEPPERS

Decorate the finished paella with thin slices as a garnish. Don't substitute a spicy variety—paella is never spicy.

F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal

PIMENTÓN DE LA VERA

Seek out pimentón from La Vera or look for the words "smoked Spanish paprika." Just don't use the Hungarian kind as it has an entirely different taste.

MANZANILLA SHERRY

Manzanilla, amontillado and oloroso are great for cooking and sipping. Sweet and cream sherries aren't paella-friendly.

All items available at tienda.com

Not long before she passed away, Jeanne Kirkpatrick gave a local paper a Paella recipe her mother had perfected at the turn of the century when living in Europe, drawing from local recipes at the time. I decided this must be a true old-world recipe and have used it with great success. One guest, who is no slouch in food appreciation, enthusiastically declared this recipe much better than one he had paid well for at a downtown Washington, D.C. Portuguese restaurant.

6 hot Italian sausage links8 ounces lean pork, in 1/2 inch cubes6 skinless bone-in chicken thighs2-1/2 ounces salt pork in 1/2 inch dice1 large red bell pepper, diced2 medium onions, finely diced4 large cloves garlic, 2 finely minced, 2 crushed1/2 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms2 cups diced tomatoes2 cups long grain rice3 cups water1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads1/2 teaspoon cumin1/2 teaspoon turmeric1/2 cup artichoke hearts8 ounces large shell on shrimp1 lb cleaned and trimmed squid in 1 inch pieces1-/1/2 lbs shell-on lobster tails, cut into 2-inch pieces1 dozen little neck clams and/or mussels1/3 cup white wine

Cut sausage into 1/2 inch rounds and brown.Transfer to paper towel lined baking sheet.Brown pork, checken ans salt pork, stirring, and transfer to baking sheet. (1/2 hour time)Reduce heat to medium and add onions, bell pepper, minced garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes to pan drippings, stir occasionally until tender.In separate large skillet heat 1/2 cup olive oil. Add rice, stirring until well-coated. Cook for 5 minutes until just golden. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.In medium sauce pan, medium heat, combine water, saffron, dash of hot pepper sauce, turmeric and cumin, stirring to mix. Bring to a boil and immediately add to the rice, stirring gently to combine. Transfer this mixture to the paella pan (or a roasting pan) and add the sausage, pork, and chicken to the pan. Gently fold in the artichoke hearts, shrimp and lobster. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. When done, rice will be tender, not mushy, with the seafood cooked through.Scrub clams/mussels. Place in an ovenproof pan and add white wine and crushed garlic, stirring to combine. Bake 4-6 miutes or until shells open. Discard any that have not opened. Arrange around the sides of the paella.Serve from pan.