Make Ahead Paella Casserole Food

EASY PAELLA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir in chicken pieces to coat. Cover, and refrigerate.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or paella pan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, and rice. Cook, stirring, to coat rice with oil, about 3 minutes. Stir in saffron threads, bay leaf, parsley, chicken stock, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir in marinated chicken and onion; cook 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and sausage; cook 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp; cook, turning the shrimp, until both sides are pink.
• Spread rice mixture onto a serving tray. Top with meat and seafood mixture.

SPANISH RICE CASSEROLE: PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
• In a large braising pan, render chorizo in oil over low heat, creating a flavored oil. Once rendered, heat the flavored oil to almost smoking and saute onions and garlic until translucent.
• Add chicken pieces to pan and cook until brown on all sides. Remove chicken from pan and hold at 200 degrees, in the oven.
• Add tomatoes to pan with paprika and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add drained rice and saute for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Return chicken pieces to pan and add boiling stock. Season, to taste, and add saffron stock.
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cover and place all seafood on top. Replace cover and continue to simmer until chicken and seafood are tender and liquid is absorbed by the rice.
• Add pea pods to the pan and cook, covered for an additional 2 minutes.
• Serve immediately. Plate onto preheated dinner plates being sure each portion has rice, chicken, lobster, snails, squid, and clams.

PAELLA IN THE OVEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Put the chopped tomatoes (including their juice), stock, paprika and saffron in a large heatproof jug or bowl and microwave for about 5 mins on high until steaming hot.
• Tip the onion and garlic into a generous roasting tin or ovenproof dish, drizzle over the oil and mix to coat. Cook in the oven for 20 mins until beginning to brown.
• Stir in the rice, chicken, chorizo and hot stock mixture, season well and return to the oven for 20 mins (don't cover).
• Stir in the peeled prawns and peas, dot any shell-on prawns on top, and return to the oven for 5-10 mins until the rice, chicken and prawns are cooked through. If serving with lemon, a nice touch is to pop the lemon slices on top of the paella for the last 5 mins of cooking, to make them hot and juicy. Check the seasoning and serve at once.