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The Art of Paella: A Flavorful Spanish Dish

Paella, a classic Spanish dish, is often intimidating to prepare, but fear not! With a few simple steps, you can create a mouthwatering paella on your stovetop, no grill required. This recipe, known as paella mixta, combines seafood, Spanish chorizo, and chicken for a flavorful and satisfying meal.

The Key to Success: Rice and Socarrat

The foundation of paella is the rice, which should be fluffy but not too moist. The prized layer of crusty, caramelized rice, called socarrat, forms on the bottom of the pan, adding a delightful textural element to the dish.

Special Equipment: The Paella Pan

A 15-inch paella pan is essential for cooking paella, as its wide surface area ensures that the rice cooks in a thin, even layer. Don’t worry if you don’t have one – you can always substitute with a large skillet.

What to Buy: Spanish Chorizo and Paella Rice

Spanish chorizo, a dried, smoked, ready-to-eat pork sausage, is a crucial ingredient in paella. Look for it at gourmet markets or online. If you can’t find Spanish chorizo, you can substitute with andouille sausage. Paella rice, also known as bomba or Valencia rice, is a white short-grain rice that stays firm when cooked. You can find it at gourmet grocery stores or substitute with Arborio rice.

Game Plan: Preparing Paella Mixta

To make paella mixta, start by preparing the ingredients. Heat your oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Core and halve the tomatoes, then grate the flesh side on a box grater set over a medium bowl. Discard the skins and set aside. Season the shrimp and chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika, then refrigerate until ready to use.

Cooking the Paella

Heat the paella pan over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has started to brown and the fat has rendered, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl and set aside. Add the seasoned chicken to the pan and sear, stirring occasionally, until both sides are golden brown, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the chorizo and set aside.

Adding the Aromatics and Rice

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic, paprika, and saffron to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved tomato pulp and juice and cook until the mixture has slightly darkened in color, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and measured salt, stirring to coat in the tomato mixture.

Simmering and Baking

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the broth, stirring to combine. Arrange the rice mixture in an even layer and distribute the reserved chorizo and chicken over the rice, adding any accumulated juices from the bowl. Bring to a lively simmer and continue to simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary and rotating the pan 90 degrees every few minutes, until the rice grains have swelled, most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the rice starts to make a crackling sound, about 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and arrange the reserved shrimp and shellfish in the rice, nestling them slightly. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the shellfish have opened, the shrimp are just cooked through, and the rice is tender but still al dente, about 10-12 minutes.

Serving and Enjoying

Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack. Cover with foil and let stand for 5 minutes. Before serving, discard any unopened shellfish and sprinkle the dish with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy your delicious paella mixta!