# Chef José Andrés:  Paella USA Version



## Margi Cintrano (May 28, 2012)

Good Morning and Happy Memorial Day, 

Chef José Andrés, the Asturian culinary genius and disciple of renowned Chef Ferrán Adriá, in addition to Exporter of Foods From Spain to the USA, and Restaurater of 10 establishments throughout the USA has his own take on Paella specially prepared the USA, at his home in Bethesda, Maryland. 

PAELLA USA VERSION - BY CHEF JOSÉ ANDRÉS ...

*** This version has been made on a roaring fire, in José ´s backyard and all you need is a Pallera, the metal pan with two handles to create it. 

Recipe Serves 8 

4 cups water 
2 ounces dried shitake mushrooms 
9 tblsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain ( divide the Evoo )
1 1/4 pounds of boneless chicken thighs cut into large cubes of 1 inch
10 oz. fresh shitake mushrooms ( or other fresh avaiable ): thickly sliced and remove stems
1/2 pound oyster mushrooms sliced ( or other fresh variety ) 
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 cups Valencian Rice for Paella ( short grain )
One 15 ounce jar or can of diced tomatoes in their own juice ( or ripe red fresh )
1 dried California Chili or New Mexico Chili stemmed and seeded and finely ground in a spice mill
3/4 tsps. La Vera Pimenton Smoked Chili Cayenne Paprika Dulce ( sweet )
1/2 tblsp threads of saffron ( soak in a cup of hot water 115 degrees farenheit ) 
2 cups chicken stock home made
1 pound large fresh if possible shrimp ( or well dethawed and drained of all liquid ); peeled and deveined 
Chopped fresh parsley flat leaf 

1. Bring 4 cups water to boil in  large saucepan and mix in dried mushrms.
2. soak the mushrms. until tender about 5 hrs. 
3. sprinkle chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper
4. add half the chicken to the Paellera pan and sauté 5 mins.
5. transfer the chicken to a large separate bowl
6. to the pallera: add 1 tblsp Evoo and sauté the mushrms drained of liquid and patted dry
7. sprinkle with salt and pepper
8. sauté until tender 4 mins.
9. Then, transfer the mushrms with slotted spoon and place the mushrms with the chicken
10. add 1/2 tblsp Evoo, to Paellera and 3/4 cup short grain Valencian Rice, 1 3/4 cup mushroom stock liquid, the onion and the garlic.
11. Sauté with the tomatoes and tomatoes and their juice and bring to simmer with saffron and the La Vera Smoked Cayenne.
12. Season with salt and pepper
13. Mix bowl of chicken and mushrms & all the juices into Paellera with the rice and reduce heat to medium low
14. simmer 10 mins. ( do not overcook ) and drizzle chicken stock slowly into the Paellera
15. arrange half of the shrimp over the paella and cook until rice is tender and chicken cooked through
16. When shrimp are opaque in color, and the rice is a touch golden brown crisp on bottom of Paellera, cook another 3 mins. Sprinkle with parsley chopped finely

*** ON THE GRILL ... ( If you have one ) 

Prepare two charcoal barbecues  at medium to high heat and cook paella according to recipe. Add 3 cups chicken stock to mushroom broth and cook. Add half the ingredients at a time and a little broth and stock at a time. 

 SERVE WITH:  CAVA SANGRÍA BY JOSÉ ANDRÉS 

4 cups diced assorted fresh seasonal fruit
( José uses strawberries, peaches and grapes )

2 small oranges thinly sliced and seeded

1/2 cup Brandy ( Jerez or other Spanish Brandy )

1/2 cup peach liquor

1/2 cup white grape juice

4 small mint sprigs fresh

2 bottles ( 750 ml. each ) of Cava Sparkling Wine or other white sparkling wine of choice

a. combine diced fruit and oranges, then the brandy and liquerurs and grape juice and mint in large pitcher

b. chill 2 hrs.

c. pour the sparkling wine over the mixture and serve in large stemware with a ladle. 

Translated by: Margaux Cintrano. 

Enjoy.


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## 4meandthem (May 28, 2012)

It looks good but I would never put shitake mushrooms in a spanish dish.I like them but they taste "asian" to me. I would substitute for portabella or crimini just sayin!


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## Margi Cintrano (May 28, 2012)

4 Meandthem,

Buonasera.  

Hope that you have had a lovely Memorial Weekend. 

Firstly, personally, I am not a wild mushroom fan in Paella. This is how José Andrés prepares his Paella. I prefer a total shellfish version and more of a Boulaibaisse Consistency. 

However, he had given me the recipe, so I thought I would post it. 

On the Iberian Peninsula, eduli boletus and niscalos are only available during autumn and winter and thus, José had made this dish in 2010 Summer. 
So due to lack of product availability he had tried the mushrooms mentioned in the recipe.

Kind regards, Ciao.
Margi.


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