Paella

5 from 1 vote

This sturdy rice dish exudes saffron and seafood flavours. Baking it in the oven makes it easy to make a large quantity easily.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 15

Total Time2 45

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Spanish

Servings: servings

Calories: 688kcal

Author: Carolyn Hetke

Ingredients

4 cups medium grain rice
8 cups chicken broth (use vegetable for vegetarian option)
4 +2 cloves garlic minced
2 sweet red peppers diced
2 medium yellow onions diced
4 6" chorizo type sausage -not spicy
2 6" chorizo type sausage spicy
2 lbs shrimp shelled and deveined
1 lb other seafood of your choice (clams, mussels, calamari or a seafood mixture)
2 cups frozen green peas
4 +2 Tbsps olive oil
½ cup dry white wine divided ¼ cup and ¼ cup

Paella seasoning

4 good pinches saffron
2 Tbsps paprika can be a mix of smoked and sweet but use at least 50% sweet
1-2 tsps cayenne optional
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tsp salt

Instructions

Rinse uncooked rice in cold water. Cover with water and allow to stand about 1 hour. Drain and rinse.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat 4 Tbsps olive oil in a frying pan. When hot add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add the onion and red pepper and cook another 3 or 4 minutes. Add the drained rice and stir until rice is evenly coated. Add ¼ cup white wine and allow wine to evaporate- another 3-4 minutes.
Transfer rice mixture to a paella pan or low wide oven proof pan.
Dissolve spices in hot broth and pour over rice mixture.
Remove casing from sausage if necessary and slice into ½" rounds.
Add sausage and peas to the rice and broth and stir to distribute.
Cover oven pan(s) with foil but leave an opening so steam can escape.
Bake about 55 -60 minutes. Check that liquid has been absorbed, remove from oven. Stir and allow to stand covered about 5 minutes.
While rice is baking clean and prepare the shrimp and seafood as required ( shell & devein, shrimp if necessary, debeard mussels it necessary etc) Abut 5 minutes before rice will be removed from the oven, heat remaining olive oil and garlic in a large stock pot. Add ¼ cup white wine and seafood. Cover tightly and allow to steam 3-5 minutes.Using a slotted spoon, ladle seafood over rice when serving.

Notes

For the vegetarian version: Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth. Replace sausage and seafood with 2-3 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed.

Wine Pairing

I like a crisp white wine to complement the seafood and saffron flavours. Look for an Alvarinho (Ablarino), Pinot Grigio, or Vinho Verde. An Italian Falanghina or Soave would also work.

For a red, keep it light and low tannin, like a Grenache or a Beaujolais.

Nutrition