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Paella: A Spanish Jambalaya
Ingredients
- Paprika
- Oregano
- 4 chicken quarters
- Olive Oil
- Jacobsen Chili Salt
- 1 chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- Bunch parsley
- 1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
- 4 cups short grain Spanish rice
- 6 cups water
- Generous pinch (’bout dat much) saffron
- 1ish pound shrimp (peeled & de-veined)
- 2-4 lobster tails (if budget allows)
- Lemon wedges for serving
- 1 large deli salami (1.5ish pounds)
Directions
- Season chicken with paprika and oregano.
- Marinate the chicken for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Brown (or sauté) the salami in a medium to large pot. Once browned put the salami in a bowl and set aside until needed. (See Note 1)
- Brown the chicken on both sides in the same pan. Once browned put the chicken on a plate and set aside until needed.
- Sauté onions, garlic, and parsley over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes (use the same pan).
- Add the tomatoes and cook until the mixture caramelizes, but don’t let it burn.
- Add the rice and brown it (basically stir-fry the rice for a short period)
- Add the water and simmer for 10 mins. No need to cover. (See Note 2)
- After the rice simmers for 10 mins, add chicken, salami, and shrimp. Try and put the meat/seafood under the rice. Simmer (covered) for 15 mins (until rice is al dente.)
- After about 10 mins you can add the lobster tails. Cover the pot. How long it cooks depends on the lobster tails…Cook it until it is done!(See Note 3)
Note 1: We know Paella means frying pan in Valencian and that Paella is meant to be cooked in a shallow pan. Nonna started with the only shallow pan she had (a frying pan), but it was not deep enough to hold the rice and water. As such she switched pans after browning the meat. Considering the point is to brown the meat and then add the rice into the same pan so that the rice absorbs the meat flavor while browning, we recommend you pick your pot carefully!
Note 2: You don’t need to stir so much as you need to make sure the rice is spread about (not clumped) so that the rice absorbs the flavors and water.
Note 3: The original recipe suggested 5 minutes for the lobster tails to cook, but it took Nonna an additional 25 minutes before the lobster tails were cooked through. Be careful the lobster is cooked before you eat it. Putting the lobster under the rice or flipping it will likely help it cook faster.
Gamma found this recipe on Food Network. The recipe is titled “The Ultimate Paella.” Their directions are a little different from Nonna’s directions. Feel free to check it out!