The infallible paella

 

I stopped counting the number of times we made this paella, as this is generally our go-to when having guests. Unless someone has a seafood allergy, this recipe is pretty sure to please any tough crowd as people can pick and choose if needed (and it ticks the gluten-free, lactose-boxes that I need when receiving my family).

As we made this recipe, we slowly tweaked it to come to this version, which is usually the one we now stick to:

For 4 people (6 regular portions actually, but let's face it, everybody overeats a little when we make it):

- 2 cups Arborio rice

- 3 cups chicken broth with white wine (or 2.5 cups chicken broth and 0.5 cup dry white wine)

- 2 packs of Goya seasoning

- 1 large pinch of saffron 

- 1 tomato, diced

- 1 red bell pepper, diced

- 1 onion, diced

- 0.5-1 chorizo link, cut in half-slices (we usually use mild chorizo as we often serve the paella to children, but feel free to use a spicier type if you prefer)

- a small pack of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in short strips 

- seafood as desired (we usually use Argentinian shrimps, clams in shells, pre-cooked octopus and calamari, but sometimes add soft-shell crabs, mussels, etc - the sky sea is the limit here!)

- 1 small bunch of parsley, grossly minced

- 1 lemon, cut in wedges

- Canola oil

1. In a large skillet or cast iron wok (I prefer the latter), spray or drizzle a little canola oil and cook the red bell pepper, the onion and the tomato on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until they begin to be tender and slightly charred, but still firm. Set aside. 

2. On high heat, separately sear the shrimps, calamari, octopus, and any other seafood that would need searing. Work in small batches if needed as they will likely render some water and you want them to sear nicely, not to boil. The goal here is to color them, not to cook them, and to let them render some excess water. Set aside.

3. Sear the chorizo and chicken on both sides. 

4. Reduce the temperature to medium-low. Add back the onion, bell pepper and tomato to the skillet or wok with the chorizo and chicken. Add the rice, the broth with wine, the Goya and the saffron and mix well. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Add the seafood (we usually put the octopus in and mix with the rice, then add the other seafood on top of the rice, but that is to your liking). Increase the temperature to medium. Cover and continue cooking for another 8-12 minutes. The rice should be soft, with a slightly firm center - definitely not mushy.

6. Sprinkle some parsley on top, then serve with parsley and lemon wedges on-the-side for people to add per their preference.

Troubleshooting: 

Usually, a crust will form at the bottom of the skillet or wok (it should be golden, not black - adjust the temperatures to obtain this result next time if needed). 

If the rice is ready but there is a lot of liquid left (sometimes you'll have more if the seafood lets off more liquid), gently lift the crust with a spatula to let the liquid go under and evaporate faster (be careful, this will create steam - use something with a long handle to avoid burning yourself).

If the rice is not cooked after the usual time, the crust may have formed too quickly and has prevented the heat from being evenly distributed. For the moment, break the crust to ensure liquid can go under (you will lose part of it, but avoid everything being overcooked) and be sure to start with a lower temperature next time!