Paella Sunday

We have decided in my home to introduce "Paella Sunday" - not every Sunday but, well, often. As most of you know, my husband is from Spain where it is common to have paella for the big meal on Sundays. This past weekend my parents joined us and my dad, who grew up in Cuba, said that in Havana the popular Sunday lunch was arroz con pollo - a paellaesque dish. Good stuff.

Paella 1 and 2 have been successful. First one we did was seafood paella. I'll admit that I was superexcited once I bought all of the fun ingredients at the seafood market. I debated the Florida lobster tail ($14.79) and ended up going for it. My husband could't believe I bought such an expensive ingredient, saying that in Spain they don't put lobster and that it doesn't add anything. To each his own but it was awesome!!

This past Sunday my husband was the cook. He made the paella on the charcoal bbq.





Now on to the chicken paella, something I suggest you all try out. It's not expensive and it's fun to make and eat. Few ingredients:





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one chicken - cut up small (the guy at the market said he cut it up as he would for a curry)


one onion - cut up


frozen cut up pole beans (this ingredient is from my brother-in-law's recipe. He makes a mean paella). you can substitute string beans.


one red pepper - cut up


short grain valencia-style rice (the star of the show)


chicken broth or water

small amount of tomato sauce - like the kind from a can - - very plain


saffron or 'bijol'-type color


salt



that's it.


and olive oil of course.


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You'll need either a paella pan or a big heavy sautee pan.





Heat the oil and sautee the onion, red pepper and pole beans till soft.





Add the chicken and salt - - - - cook for a while until the chicken is almost all cooked.





Now the tricky part - - - for one chicken, we used a big paella pan and 2 14-ounce bags of rice. For some reason my brother-in-law puts the rice in a vertical line in the pan. Don't ask my why.





Let the rice hang out and get a little bit toasted in the yummy oil.





Then add the liquid - more that 2x the amount of rice.


Also add the bijol or saffron and the tomato sauce.





Let it go for at least 20 minutes. at this point the cook is standing by the paella, hopefully with a fun bevvy in hand, chatting with hungry guests who are oohing and aahing.

You'll know it's done when the liquid is basically gone and the rice is done.

Once it's done, cover with foil or a kitchen towel for a few minutes and serve.

Our Sunday paella fed 4 hungry people with plenty to spare. Could definitely feed six, and for about $10. Served with baguettes, salad and sangria.

Try it out. You won't regret it!!
Next I'm going to try vegetable paella - artichokes essential for that one - will keep you posted.