# Paella with Chicken (Untried)



## Brooksy (Oct 18, 2005)

Paella with chicken
Courtesy - www.theage.com.au


INGREDIENTS
7 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken thigh fillets, cut in large pieces
1/3 of a dried chorizo sausage (optional), sliced
salt and pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 red capsicum and 1/2 green capsicum, diced
2 tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
1/4 tsp saffron
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 litre water or chicken stock
150g flat green beans, sliced into thirds or quarters
1 sprig rosemary
400g Calasparra rice
2 lemons, cut into wedges
2 tbsp chopped parsley

M E T H O D

• Heat the paella pan then add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the diced chicken and chorizo. Season well with salt and pepper and cook until brown all over. Remove the chicken and chorizo to a bowl while you prepare the sofrito.
• For the sofrito: Add the rest of the oil to the same pan and when hot, add the finely chopped onion.
• Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened and is golden. Now add the garlic, cook for a couple of minutes then add the capsicum and cook five minutes more until lightly coloured and softened.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, season liberally with salt and pepper and cook slowly until the sofrito has reduced and there is no liquid left. Add about one quarter cup of water and continue to cook until the liquid again has reduced, then set aside. This should all take about 45 minutes.
• The sofrito should have a concentrated flavour and pulpy consistency. You can prepare it up to a day ahead.
• For the paella: Gently heat the saffron in a small pan for a couple of minutes, until it changes colour and becomes fragrant, but be careful as it burns very easily. Remove from the heat, crush with the back of a spoon and add two tablespoons of warm water.
• Put the paella pan back on a medium heat. Add the chicken, chorizo and paprika and cook, stirring for a couple of minutes.
• Add the water or stock, beans and rosemary and bring to the boil. Taste the mixture - it should be very tasty, if not add salt.
• Put in the saffron and the rice and bring to the boil. Stir briefly then turn to a low heat. Do not stir any more.
• Cook the paella 15-18 minutes or until the rice is plump and almost soft - it should be a little resilient. Turn the heat to high and cook for a couple of minutes. Any remaining liquid will boil away and a crust will form on the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from the heat and cover with a tea towel for 10 minutes, then uncover and leave to rest for another 5-10 minutes before serving.
• Squeeze over the lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve directly from the pan.
Serves: 6


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## Constance (Oct 18, 2005)

Finally, a paella I can make here in the landlocked Midwest! 
Please, tell me...what is Calasparra rice? 
Will it affect the flavor adversly if I use turmeric instead of saffron?


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## foodaholic (Oct 18, 2005)

Brooksy that looks like a spectacular recipe.

Calasparra rice is an indiginous rice to spain,well brough there
my the Moors many moons ago.It's a somewhat fat round rice.

You can use turmeric to add a yellow colour to the rice,but it's
an immediate giveaway.It is in no way similar to saffron, it will not add any flavour really,so it would not adversly affect this recipe.But it will not really be a Paella,just a chicken and rice dish.


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## Alix (Oct 18, 2005)

I'm also copying this one, just wondering...is there a difference between "sweet" paprika and the stuff I usually use? I don't believe I have ever heard of sweet paprika before. Thanks for the recipe Brooksy. I'm going to toss some shrimp in mine too!


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## foodaholic (Oct 18, 2005)

Alix said:
			
		

> I'm also copying this one, just wondering...is there a difference between "sweet" paprika and the stuff I usually use? I don't believe I have ever heard of sweet paprika before. Thanks for the recipe Brooksy. I'm going to toss some shrimp in mine too!


 
I'm sure in this recipe their talking about Spanish sweet paprika which is different than the sweet paprika from Hungary.The Spanish stuff is smoked over oak and is ground repeatedly for a really smooth mouthfeel.It adds colour and smokiness that can't be duplicated with any other paprika.But
I'm sure the regular supermarket paprika will suffice.Try and find it,it's not cheap but worth the effort.


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## Alix (Oct 18, 2005)

Hmmm...I know that our supermarkets don't carry that. Any suggestions?


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## foodaholic (Oct 18, 2005)

Alix,It's possible that with Edmontons large Eastern European
community that you may be able to order through one of the
smaller shops that carry the higher quality Hungarian paprika's.
Just a quess,but who ever supplies them would certainly have access to the Spanish as well.


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## Alix (Oct 18, 2005)

Well, I know one little shop that has some Dutch spices...maybe that would be a start. Thanks for the info. I think this might be worth looking into. 

Sorry to hijack the thread Brooksy. I'll make sure I post when I have made this.


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## Brooksy (Oct 20, 2005)

Here is the text from the article:
"Walking in to my local Spanish deli, Casa Iberica, and inhaling those musty, sweet, earthy smells of hanging pork sausage and various spices, I am immediately transported to another world.

And, recently, while standing in the queue listening to the shop women banter with customers in their native language and looking at the hanging paella pans, I started reminiscing about those pungent, heady flavours of paellas in Spain.

It was time, I decided, to learn how to make paella. I went home with a paella pan, a bag of Calasparra rice, some Spanish sweet paprika and a small box of saffron.

In searching for the most traditional and original recipes, I discovered there's a lot more to cooking paella than may first appear. In paella centre Catalonia, and neighbouring Valencia, they are fiercely protective of paella recipes, each region claiming theirs is the best and most authentic.

It began in Valencia, the region where the Moors introduced rice cultivation to the marshlands surrounding Valencia in the 8th or 9th century.

Farmers would cook dishes with rice and whatever was at hand in large flat pans, outdoors over a wood fire. The region also abounded in market gardens, so tomatoes, peppers and beans went into paella as well as wild rabbit, pork and snails.

Wherever paella was made near the sea it would include fish and shellfish.

If Valencia invented the paella, it was Catalonia that perfected it. Perhaps because the Catalans had a more sophisticated cuisine and culture and because of the many excellent restaurants in Barcelona, over time the paella began taking on more elaborate ingredients.

When American food writer Andrew Coleman was searching for the true Paella Valenciana, he was directed to the small village of Benisano, where there was said to be a restaurant famous for its traditional paellas.

"It came not at all the way most of us imagine paella - in a steaming-hot paella pan decorated with bright green peas, red peppers and prawns."

It was served at room temperature with nothing more than a few pieces of rabbit and chicken, some broad beans and yellow butter beans. It was, however, delicious.

It was now time for me to get my caldero (paella pan) hot.

It was all going well; the base of slowly-cooked-down onions and tomatoes, the sofrito, especially tasty, but I made the mistake of pouring in too much rice and broth. The pan was full to the brim so the rice on top didn't cook properly and the bottom burnt. Disaster.

After repeated attempts at cooking paella, and calling for help from friends and cooks who have worked in Spanish restaurants, I have now just about mastered this humble but wonderful rice dish.

So here is my advice.

First, you may want to buy a Spanish paella pan: I recommend one that serves six. You could go to eight but any larger and you'll need a larger-than-normal gas jet. Paella needs a gas flame; either a large one or a smaller one with a heat diffuser. Do not use an electric cook top as it will make a hot spot in the middle and burn the rice.

A paella pan is not essential. A thin-based pan as wide and shallow as possible will work This allows the rice to cook relatively fast and evenly.

It is important to make the sofrito rich and flavoursome as this is the sauce for the rice. By cooking the tomatoes for a good length of time you will cook out the acidity, resulting in a smooth, sweet, concentrated sauce.

Use plenty of salt and olive oil. The sofrito must be very well seasoned with plenty of olive oil. This helps separate the rice and also helps to carry the flavour throughout the dish. It is important to brown the meat well and cook the seafood first. Once you have a tasty base, pour in the stock or water. Bring to a rapid boil before pouring in the rice.

Always use a medium, round-grain rice but not long grain (it doesn't hold the flavour and cooking liquid as well). The Calasparra is excellent but you could easily substitute arborio.

Don't overload your paella with too many ingredients. Remember, paella is all about the rice and the ingredients are there to flavour it.

If the broth evaporates before the rice cooks, the heat is probably too high. Simply pour a little more liquid over the paella but do not stir. I repeat - do not stir - the paella.

Lastly, the resting time at the end is crucial so the flavours can marry, and for whatever reason, it always tastes much better than hot from the stove."


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## Brooksy (Oct 20, 2005)

*Paprikas*

In our local supermarket we have the choice of:

Hungarian Paprika (mild)
Hot Paprika
Smoked Paprika
Sweet Paprika

In the pantry we have all except the hot because it only takes is a shimmy of cayenne to heat it up.

DW isn't keen on the smoked, but I love it.

I will one day pluck up the courage to give this one a go, but I still lack the confidence and the knowledge to tackle a dish like this.


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## foodaholic (Oct 21, 2005)

Brooksy said:
			
		

> I will one day pluck up the courage to give this one a go, but I still lack the confidence and the knowledge to tackle a dish like this.


 
Brooksy try not to be intimidated with this dish,think of it
as a rice pilaf of sorts.

Use any large fry pan or pot,it'll work out fine.

Just fry up the chicken,chorizo,onion,garlic and the peppers.
Add the tomatoes and cook until the excess water has evaporated.

The saffron just add to some hot stock or water to make a
tea of sorts and add that along with the rest of the stock 
along with any herbs you like and just procceed like it was any other rice dish.

Just do it!


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## Brooksy (Oct 22, 2005)

No worries Food I will.

But goodness knows what DW will do when the kitchen ends up in it's usual mess.


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