Saturday, September 12, 2015

Allison's Fake Paella


When Allison was in high school there were two things that were absolutely true about her: she loved, loved, loved learning the Spanish language and she was very social. It was the perfect storm for me to try to reproduce cultural recipes when she brought home large groups of kids that happened to be hungry. I sort of cringe when I call this recipe "Paella" because, although it really is tasty, it's not the real deal. When we visited Allison in Spain this spring, we ate at a wonderful restaurant right on the beach in Barcelona. The paella we had there was served in huge shallow dish and was made the traditional way with arborio rice that is diligently watched and stirred. The recipe posted here is yummy also - just different! It feeds a large crowd with little effort!



Ingredients:



2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper or a combination of green, yellow or red to equal a pepper, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced or put through a press
2 (15 oz.) cans broth - beef, chicken, or vegetable
1 (15 ox.) can chopped tomatoes, juice and all
1 (15 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice - brown or white
2 heaping tablespoons sliced green olives
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon saffron or substitute ground turmeric


Also:



1 cup frozen peas & carrots

Some protein: I usually add in cooked chicken. Traditionally it is shrimp, clams, chicken.


Directions:



Over medium setting, heat oil in a large skillet. Add the diced onions and peppers and saute until tender. Add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds. Then, add the broth, chopped tomatoes, artichokes, rice, green olives, paprika, salt, black pepper, red cayenne pepper, and the saffron or turmeric. Cover and turn the heat down to simmer. Allow to cook until the rice is cooked, using the directions on the rice package as a guide. All the liquid will be absorbed by the rice. 



 Cover and turn the heat down to simmer. Allow to cook until the rice is cooked, using the directions on the rice package as a guide. All the liquid will be absorbed by the rice. Before serving, add the peas & carrots along with what ever meat desired.