August 2005 Recipe

Paella by the Beach

When Emma and I welcome friends in Los Angeles, we’re very near the ocean and fine seafood. We both agree that a good paella is unbeatable as a one-pot meal. Key is a good mix of ingredients—fish, chicken, and vegetables, plus the smoke of ham, a spicy chorizo sausage, and a couple of pinches of genuine saffron.

    You might expect paella to be made with long-grain rice like other pilafs, but in fact the rice should be round-grain, either Spanish paella rice or Italian risotto rice such as arborio. A purpose-designed shallow, two-handled paella pan helps, too, but is not essential. Traditionally, paella is cooked outdoors on a barbecue; on a domestic stove, you should use two burners and turn the pan often so the heat spreads evenly.

Serves 10 to 12

• 1⁄3 cup olive oil

• 10 to 12 chicken thighs or legs (about 3 pounds)

• salt and pepper to taste

• 3 onions, chopped

• 31⁄2 cups risotto or paella rice

• 11⁄2 quarts chicken stock or water,
  more if needed

• 2 pinches saffron threads soaked in 1 cup
  boiling water

• 1 pound cleaned squid, sliced

• 1 pound sliced raw smoked ham, cut in strips

• 1 pound chorizo sausage, sliced

• 11⁄2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded,
  and chopped

• 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and
  cut in strips

• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

• 1 pound cod or other white fish fillets,
  cut in chunks

• 11⁄2 pounds raw shrimp, in their shells

• 11⁄2 pounds mussels, cleaned

• 20-inch paella pan or large shallow flameproof
  casserole

Heat half the oil in the pan, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and brown them on all sides over medium heat, 10 to 12 minutes so they are partially cooked; remove them and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the onions until soft but not brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the grains are transparent and the oil is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock, saffron with soaking liquid, and salt and pepper.

Add more ingredients in the following order, pushing them down into the layer of rice: browned chicken, squid, smoked ham, chorizo, tomatoes, peppers, and peas. The fish and shrimp should be spread on top so they cook more slowly; reserve the mussels. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook the paella for 15 minutes, adjusting the heat so it simmers gently. Shake the pan from time to time to discourage sticking.

After 15 minutes, set the mussels on top of the pan and continue cooking, 15 to 20 minutes, until the mussels are opened, the rice is almost tender, and most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and leave, 5 to 10 minutes, for flavors to mellow and the rice to become tender and absorb all the liquid. Taste the paella and adjust the seasoning.

Getting Ahead: All the prep can be done ahead, but the paella must be assembled and freshly cooked for serving.