Personal Paella With Squid And Scallions Food

PERSONAL PAELLA WITH SQUID AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Combine the seafood stock, saffron, and pimenton in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer; reduce the heat to very low and cover.
• Lightly season the squid with salt and pepper. In an 8-inch cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the squid and cook, stirring frequently, just until the squid lose any translucence and exude their juices, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer the squid to a plate and decrease the heat to medium.
• Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil, then the red pepper flakes, scallions, and garlic and sauté until the scallion starts to soften, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook until the grains are well coated with the pan mixture, 1 minute.
• Pour in the hot broth and bring to a gentle boil. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Taste the liquid and add salt to taste, then let it continue to gently bubble, swirling the pan occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the rice has swelled and absorbed much of the liquid; it should still be slightly soupy.
• Stir in the squid and tomatoes. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the rice is al dente, or mostly tender but with a little resistance in the center.
• Remove the pan from the oven, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until the rice is tender. Uncover and return it to the stovetop over medium-high heat and cook for about 2 more minutes, to brown the bottom of the rice.
• Spoon it out onto a plate, and eat. Don't worry if it sticks. Just scrape it up and know that this is what the Spanish call soccarat, the crispy pieces that are considered a sign of a great paella.

SQUID INK PAELLA

Steps:

• For the saffron mayo: Add chicken stock and 1 cup water to a medium pot and bring to a simmer. Keep on low heat until ready to use. Poach garlic in the pot of stock and water for 5 minutes, then remove from the stock (keep the stock over low heat).
• Pour 2 spoons of the hot stock over the saffron in a small bowl to bloom it. Add saffron stock, garlic cloves, mayonnaise, olive oil, Piment d'Espelette and orange zest and juice to a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.
• For the paella: Heat a paella pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil to coat. Once oil shimmers, add chorizo and squid and cook, stirring, until squid begins to brown and chorizo renders out some of the fat. Remove chorizo and squid from pan and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium and add shallots, garlic, cherry tomatoes and olives. Stir to combine and cook until shallots become translucent and tomatoes begin to burst, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and mix to coat, then cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to a boil, then reduce down to a simmer. Add the squid ink, paprika and warmed stock and mix to combine. Turn heat to medium and allow to cook, uncovered, without stirring, until you can hear some sizzling at the bottom of the pan and it starts to crisp on the bottom, for about 25 minutes. Add the chorizo and squid back to the pan and distribute evenly on top. When squid is heated through, remove paella from heat and serve right out of the pan. Serve with dollops of saffron mayo, parsley and chives.

PANTRY PAELLA

Steps:

• Put the saffron threads into a small pan over a medium heat with the sherry and warm them, not letting the liquid come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
• Heat the oil in a wide, heavy based pan over low heat. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes.
• Add the sliced garlic and cook for a minute or so more. Stir in the rice, coat the grains in the oil, then add the prawns, baby squid, pork and peas. Mix to combine.
• Heat the chicken stock in a small pot over medium heat, or make up the concentrate or cubes with boiling water. Stir in the sherry and saffron mixture and combine well. Add the stock mixture to the rice and bring it to a bubble, then turn the heat down to a low simmer, but leave uncovered.
• Cook without stirring for 15 to 20 minutes, and by that time the rice should have absorbed the liquid and be tender. Gently stir with a fork to separate the grains, and check the seasoning, adding salt, if needed.
• Serve the paella edged with lemon wedges, and sprinkled with cilantro.

PAELLA I

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in paella pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and pepper; cook and stir for a few minutes. Add chorizo sausage, diced chicken, and rice; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 3 1/2 cups stock, wine, thyme leaves, and saffron. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 15 minutes; stir occasionally.
• Taste the rice, and check to see if it is cooked. If the rice is uncooked, stir in 1/2 cup more stock. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally. Stir in additional stock if necessary: use up to 2 cups additional stock, 5 cups total. Cook until rice is done.
• Stir in squid, tomatoes, and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Arrange prawns and mussels on top. Cover with foil, and leave for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the foil, and scatter parsley over the food. Serve in paella pan, garnished with lemon wedges.

PAELLA WITH WILD RICE, SEAFOOD AND CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Soak the wild rice in 4 cups cold water for at least 2 hours. It will absorb some of the water and puff up a little bit.
• To roast the red peppers:.
• Place the red bell peppers directly onto the fire on your gas stove. Or place directly onto your electric burner. Char well for over 15 minutes on all sides. You are looking for a very black exterior. Pop the peppers into a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to seal in the heat and sweat. In 10 minutes you can peel off the charred skin. If you want you can do this under running cold water, which makes it a little easier. Cut in wide slices and set aside.
• Peel and finely dice the onion. Slice the sausage into 1/2-inch pieces.
• To fabricate the Cornish game hen:.
• Remove the carcass from your hen beginning at top of bird along either side of breast bone. Using a sharp knife, work your way down each side of carcass trying to remove as much meat from the bone as possible, to make 2 halves. Leave in the leg and wing bones, but discard the carcass (or save for stock). Then cut the leg and wing pieces off from the breast pieces.
• To clean the shrimp:.
• Start by holding the shrimp, backside up, and run your knife down the length of its spine. This will expose the vein. To remove the vein you can use your finger, or the tip of your knife to pull it out of the shrimp.
• To clean the mussels:.
• Scrub the mussels removing any sand and seaweed bits. If mussels are open, test them by pressing the two shells together. If they start to close, then they are still alive and safe to use. If not, discard them.
• To clean the squid:.
• Grab the head, while holding the end and PULL. Most of the guts will come out in one neat pile. You need to remove the transparent spine (or quill) by running a finger along the inside of the mantle holding it by the tip and pulling. Check the base in case there is a bit of spine left and that can be removed as well. Remove the wings by pulling off and then peel the rest of the skin off, which should come off in one piece. Slice the squid body open, score it on the diagonal (making a shallow incision but not cutting all the way through). Then cut this squid piece into flat triangles, or if you prefer simply cut the squid body into rings.
• In a large skillet turn a large pan on high heat and drizzle in the oil. Add the hen pieces to the hot pan and sear and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Take the pieces out of the pan and set aside. Add the chorizo or other sausage to the pan. Stir until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Leave there. In the same pan, continue to build the dish by adding the onions, and saute until golden. Add the turmeric, and smoked paprika, and then add the garlic. Add the wild rice, and stir to coat with all the flavors and allow the grains to toast slightly.
• Return the seared hen pieces to the pan. Add your warm chicken stock to which you have added the saffron. Reserve about a cup of stock for later. Cover the pan with a lid or tin foil, and let cook, about 40 minutes.
• Finish by adding the seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid), and the last cup of stock just before the last 10 minutes. Just before serving, add the peas and the reserved roasted red peppers. Cover for a minute and the residual heat will warm both.
• Ladle up into two personal paella pans.

FABULOUS MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE SCALLOP PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat a large dutch oven or paella pan on the stove-top over low heat for about 3-5 minutes.
• Now, add the olive oil and butter to the pan. Saute bell peppers, celery, onion and garlic in the fat over medium to med-high heat, just until celery and onions are barely softened.
• Add the rice, water, diced tomatoes, Knorr chicken granules, bay leaf, rosemary, saffron and seasonings. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for about 18-22 minutes, until rice is almost but not quite done. Stir midway through, and add a little additional water if needed.
• Rinse and drain the scallops, in a colander (no need to pat dry).
• Add the peas, scallops and parsley to the rice mixture. Cover and cook on low for a further 5-10 minutes until scallops are done and the paella is steaming hot. Note: Take care not to overcook the scallops.
• Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove bay leaf and sprig of rosemary before serving.
• Serve hot with fresh lemon wedges at the table. Accompany the paella with slices of fresh buttered sourdough or country bread and a nice glass of wine (I served a red California cabernet sauvignon). Enjoy!