Paella Primavera

Adding tomato paste to the paella gives the dish a rich flavor note that elevates this vegetarian rice and bean dish to something quite extraordinary.  Especially if you are generous with the red pepper flakes.
2 cups cauliflower floweretts
2 cups green beans cut 1-1/2 inch
1 carrot diced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup short grain brown rice
1 red onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups water

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Sauté the cauliflower, green beans and carrot in a dash of olive oil in a large skillet. Salt and pepper to taste and add red pepper flakes.

Cook veggies about 5 minutes, only until the veggies heat through and the green beans just begin to soften - the veggies will cook more later.

You want them still very crisp. Remove veggies to a bowl.

Tip the rice along with the onion and red pepper into the skillet with a dash more olive oil. Toast the rice with the veggies for about 5 minutes, stirring almost regularly.

Add the tomato paste and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens up a bit.

Add the water to the rice and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, until the rice is just about cooked.

Now the messy part. Stir the veggies and the pinto beans into the rice to mix well.

Cover the skillet and cook the paella for another 5-10 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked.

Serves 4.

Arroz Polo Camarón

Spanish Chicken with Pork and Shrimp

This is a hearty chicken and rice dish of Spanish origin; much like a paella, but done on the stovetop in a large pot.  There's something in this for everyone, and feeds a hungry crowd.
1/2 lb pork, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 chicken thighs (bone-in with skin)

1 small red pepper, diced (about 1-1/2 cups
1 leek, cleaned and diced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz frozen quartered artichokes, thawed (I used Trader Joe’s)

1 short grain white rice (like Valencia)
1/2 cup short grain born rice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pimenton, Spanish smokey paprika
3 cups water

1 dozen large shrimp, shelled and deveined

Brown the pork in a large pot with a dash olive oil.

Remove to a bowl. Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove chicken to a separate bowl.  Now add the leek and red pepper into the pot and cook about 5-8 minutes to soften. Add the thyme, oregano and garlic, and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the artichokes and heat through.

Remove veggie mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Return the pork to the pot and add the rice. Add a dash of olive oil and toast the rice for about 5 minutes with the pork.

Stir in the cumin and pimenton and cook another minute. Return the chicken and veggies to the pot and fold in gently with the rice mixture.

Add the water and bring to a gentle boil.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook about 20-30 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.

Top the dish with the shrimp and cover again.

Cook over the lowest heat possible for about 5-10 minutes just to cook the shrimp through. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Cook's Note:  I used Valencia rice, but you could use whatever favorite rice you have on hand.  You could also use short grain brown rice but I would not recommend long grain brown rice as the chicken will probably overcook by the time the rice is done.

Chicken and Chorizo with Spinach Peppers and Leek

Simple comfort food.
6 chicken thighs
1 red pepper, sliced
1 leek, cleaned and diced
dash red pepper flakes
1/2 lb (2-3 links) chorizo sausage, sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped

Heat a bit of olive oil in anon-stick skillet, and brown the chicken, skin-side down for 3-5 minutes. Turn chicken over when nicely browned and brown the other side another 3-5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a bowl.

Add the red peppers, leek, red pepper flakes (to taste) and chorizo to the skillet. Cook until the chorizo is beginning to brown, and the veggies are softening, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the wine and broth, and the spinach. Cover and allow the spinach to cook down and soften. Stir well and then nestle the chicken into the spinach sauce. Cover and cook about 15 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.

Serves 4.

Spanish Rice

1/2 large onion, diced, about 1 cup
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1/2 orange pepper, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
Handful fresh green beans, diced
2 Tbsp canola oil
1-1/2 cup long grain white rice
3 cups water
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Pimenton, Spanish smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin powder

large pinch saffron threads, crushed, and/or 1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

1/2 cup fresh salsa, drained

Heat the onion, peppers and green beans in the oil in a medium pot. Cook the veggies about 8-10 minutes, to soften and begin to brown them. Add the rice and cook another 5 minutes, or so, until the rice is well coated and beginning to change from translucent to white. Add the water, spices and salt, and bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook about 20 minutes. Turn off heat and allow rice to sit for 10 minutes, ideally with a tea towel laid out on top of the pot, just underneath the top.

Fluff gently with a fork, and fold in the fresh salsa

Serves 6.

Arroz con Pollo y Chorizo

Rice with chicken and chorizo - paired with artichokes and black beans.  For me a go-to single-skillet meal, rich and fulfilling after any hard day's work.
1 large boneless chicken breast or 2-3 boneless chicken thighs, cubed
6-inches chorizo sausage, sliced
1 cup rice (I used short grain brown)
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
1 tsp cumin seeds (or 1/2 tsp cumin powder)
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 cups water or broth
1 cab black beans, rinsed and drained
6 oz (1/2 bag) frozen artichoke hearts

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet and brown the chicken and chorizo for about 5-8 minutes.  Set aside.  Toss in the onions and peppers along with the cumin seeds and rosemary in the same skillet, and cook about 5 minutes, until beginning to soften and color a bit.  Set aside with the meat.

Ad about a tablespoon of canola oil to the pan and pour in the rice.  Cook gently, stirring often until the rice changes to a whiter color, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the water to the pan and then nestle in all the veggies and meat.  Bring to a boil, stir, and reduce heat to a gentle low simmer.  Cover and cook for about 15 minutes. 

Finally, top the rice with beans and artichokes and continue cooking another 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes.

Serves 4.

Cook's note: This is a classic, and most flexible dish.  You will often see it prepared with chicken on the bone - thighs and drumsticks, for example.  Meat on the bone can add more flavor, but may take just a bit longer to cook.

Basque Lamb Stew with Walnut Pistachio Pesto

If March is still raging like a lion, have some lamb.  Stew that is. 

3 lb boneless lamb, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, quartered lengthwise
1 tsp rosemary, crushed
3/4 cup white wine

3 red peppers, or 2 jars roasted red peppers, sliced
1 14-oz package frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 leek, cleaned and diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp rosemary, crushed
2 tsp Pimenton, Spanish smoked paprika
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 large ripe tomato, diced

First marinate the lamb with the garlic, rosemary and wine, in a ziplock,plastic bag.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer, and if longer, in the refrigerator.  Flip, and mix the bag often.  You can marinate the lamb in a bowl covered in plastic wrap as well.  Just make sure you mix well and often.

Next, drain the lamb and pat dry in paper towels, reserving the garlic.  Brown the lamb in a Dutch Oven or pot, in batches, in a bit of olive oil.  Do not crowd the pan, so that the lamb browns well.  Flip to brown all pieces well.  Remove lamb pieces to a bowl and set aside while you brown remaining pieces.

While the lamb is browning, roast the red peppers on a gas stove burner, or in the oven, until the skins blacken well.  Toss the peppers in a paper bag and seal up the bag to steam the peppers a bit.  Alternatively, you can use jarred roasted red peppers.

Heat oven to 375F.  When all the lamb is browned and set aside, toss the leek, 1 tsp rosemary, cumin and reserved garlic into the Dutch oven, and cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the leek begins to soften.  Add a bit more oil if necessary.  Return the lamb to the Dutch oven and add the wine, broth, Pimenton and tomato.  Bring to the boil.

Meanwhile peel the burnt pieces of skin off the peppers.  Seed and slice the peppers and add them to the stew.  The meat should just peek out of the liquid - if necessary, add just a bit of water. Salt and pepper the stew to taste.  When the stew comes to a boil, gently stir, cover, and place in the oven. 

Bake for an hour.  Gently stir, cover and bake for another 30-45 minutes, until the lamb is very soft, and pulls apart with a fork.  Correct the seasonings if necessary.

Serves 6.

Frankly Great Paella

Everywhere you travel in Europe, you see sausage.  And many sausages - whether in Paella, Cassoulet, Choucroutte, or at breakfast look just like frankfurters.  That's because basically, they are.  Classically the 'Frankfurter Wurstchen' from Frankfurt, Germany, is a smoked pork sausage prized for its simple, homogeneous form and deep smoked flavor.  Served and accepted for centuries in Germany and throughput Europe, they are a common sausage, still today.

Unfortunately, here in the USA, they have been denigrated, and segregated from other sausages as inferior.  That's probably only because of some unfortunate manufacturers, but actually, there are many great frankfurters (hot dogs!) around.  Don't just use them in a bun - think sausage, and use them in dishes, but only good ones.  If you are concerned about sodium or fat, use them only as an accent, as I do here in Paella.

I love them.  OK there - I said it.

3/4 cup short grain rice (I used brown)
1/4 cup pearl barley
1 lb best franks you can find
1 leek, cleaned and diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds (or powder)
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup green olives
1/4 cup black olives
1 dozen whole peeled shrimp
palmful fresh parsley or cilantro, minced

In a large oven-goin skillet or paella pan, saute the rice, barley, franks, leek and carrot in about 2 tablespoons canola oil.  Stir very often to make sure the rice does not burn, cooking for about 5 minutes or until the rice transitions from transparent to translucent.  Add the garlic and cumin and cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring almost constantly.

Carefully add the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, stir, cover, and cook about 20 minutes, until the broth is absorbed.  Toss in the shrimp and olives, cover and cook another 5 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the shrimp are cooked through.  Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro and serve.  Serves 4.

Paella de Valencia at Home

4 chicken thighs
1/2 lb, 1-link, chorizo sausage, sliced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 red and/or yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced shiitake mushrooms (optional)
1 cup short grain white rice
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
1/4 tsp cumin
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup frozen artichoke quarters
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup green olives, drained
12 large shrimp, peeled

In a big sauté pan, which can go under a broiler, brown the chicken thighs and the chorizo sausage in a bit of olive oil for about 10 minutes total. Turn chicken twice to brown both sides well. Remove chicken to a bowl, and add the onion, carrot, celery, red pepper, mushrooms and rice to the pan and sauté for about 6-8 minutes, stirring often, so as to soften the veggies, but not to brown the rice. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, saffron and cumin and cook another 2 minutes. Add the wine, water and salt and stir. Nestlé the chicken thighs in the rice mixture, and submerge the artichokes about the chicken. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cook covered for 30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Uncover the paella and nestle the shrimp about the chicken pieces. Do not stir. Scatter the peas and olives about the dish. Spray the top of the dish with a bit of canola oil, and then broil for about 5 minutes, watching carefully. You want the chicken and the shrimp to brown and sizzle a good bit, but don't let it burn. Serve with lemon or lime. Serves four.

Grilled Swordfish with Romesco Sauce

1 1/2 lb fresh swordfish, in 4 portions
Romesco Sauce (see below)
dried dill weed
1 lemon, quartered

Heat grill. Spray fish with oil. Place fish on grill and allow to cook 3-4 minutes without disturbing. check if fish releases from grill. When it does (don't cook more than 5 minutes), flip and cook other side for 3-4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and dress with a sprinkling of dill weed.

Plate fish and top with Romesco sauce. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Romesco Sauce

1 red pepper
1 lb tomatoes, 3-small (size of lemons)
Head of garlic
1 tsp Pimenton, smokey paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 slice stale bread
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 375 to roast the tomatoes and garlic. Core the tomatoes and cut in half. Slice the top end of the garlic head off to expose the top of each clove. Place the garlic head and the tomatoes on a baking sheet and dress with a bit of olive moil on top of each.

Roast for about an hour, basting with the oil every 15 minutes, until the veggies are browned but not burned. Toast the almonds, spread evenly on another baking sheet, for 3 minutes (watch carefully that they do not brown and burn!). Char the red pepper either on a grill or on a gas stove until the skin is charred on each side. Place pepper in a paper or plastic bag to steam for 3-5 minutes. Peel charred skin off pepper; core and seed. Chop in quarters.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, process the almonds until very, very fine, but not puréed. Tip into a mixing bowl and set aside. Process the bread until very fine, and add to the almonds. Slip the garlic cloves out of each skin into the food processor. Tip the tomatoes and the pepper into the processor and blend to a coarse paste. Transfer tomato-pepper paste to bowl with almonds. Add the salt, cayenne, vinegar and pimenton. Stir well to mix. Allow flavors to meld for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.

July 4th Grilling - Smokey Pimenton adds Flavor Depth

Pimenton, a smokey Spanish paprika adds a deep flavor to grilled foods, and a simple rub with it goes a long way. You can use this rub on most anything - chicken, pork, shrimp; the rich smokey flavor of pimenton cannot be realized with standard paprika, unless maybe you get fresh paprika from Hungary directly, maybe.

Smokey Pimenton BBQ Rub
2 Tbsp Spanish smokey pimenton paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried Italian or Provence herbs
1 tsp ground white pepper

Stir everything together and rub onto food to be grilled.

Here are some examples of grilled foods with this rub:
Chicken thighs.Mixed grill: chicken cutlets and shrimp kebabs.Grilled pork chops.

Rice Primavera with Pimenton

You can used mixed frozen veggies or whatever leftover veggies you might have. This is a great dish to add a can of beans (drained) to, for a complete meal. You can also use leftover rice for even a quicker preparation.

1 cup rice (I especially love Jasmine with this because of its aroma)
2 cups water
½ tsp salt
2 tsp smoky Spanish Pimenton paprika
1 Tbsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 cups blanched mixed vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, zucchini
dash red pepper flakes

In a pot with a tight-fitting lid sauté the rice in a bit of canola oil, stirring constantly over medium heat. Let the rice turn white (from translucent) and become aromatic – about 5 minutes. Add the water and salt, cover and cook 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet and add the seeds. Shake for a few minutes until they become aromatic. Add the veggies and pepper flakes and heat through. Fluff rice with a fork and fold into the vegetables.

Pimenton is a smokey paprika from Spain - very rich, deep flavor.

Rice with Lamb, Eggplant and Pimenton

1 cup short grain brown rice
1 lb ground lamb
1 sweet potato, diced ¼-inch
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 Tbsp pimenton smoked hot paprika

Toast rice in 1 tablespoon canola oil in a small pot, stirring constantly for about 2-3 minutes, until you smell a nutty fragrance. Add water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes as you prepare the remainder of the dish.

In a non-stick skillet, sauté the sweet potato in a bit of olive oil, until browned and just softened, about 10 minutes. Set aside. In the same skillet, sauté the pepper and onion until softened and beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside with potato. In the same skillet, sauté the eggplant until browned. Remove to the bowl. Finally, in same skillet, sauté the lamb, crumbing as you go, until well browned. Remove any accumulated fat. Add the garlic, cumin and pimenton, and cook another 2-3 minutes until the garlic and cumin are fragrant.

When the rice is cooked, return the vegetables to the lamb, fluff the rice and fold gently into the lamb mixture. Transfer to a serving dish and top with minced cilantro.