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Monday, February 22, 2010

Paella Sundays!

So for Christmas 2009 I received a Paella pan, scoop, rice and saffron threads and a Paella cook book from my husband and daughter LaNae. I asked for it for my birthday in September, but they forgot so I got it at Christmas!
We decided every Sunday we would make a different Paella! When we have been home on Sunday we have done just that!  I have come to know that the rice makes a difference.  This past Sunday we used arborio rice instead of the paella rice we ran out of, arborio is too starchy. So I ordered a new bag of the Bomba rice for this Sunday. Here is the recipe we did on Sunday the 21st of February 2010.
We used a recipe from "Paella" by Penelope Casas.
Crabmeat Paella with Peas. (I added lobster and monkfish)


So, here it goes! You really should try this, it is soooo good!
We made the fish broth for the paella by using all the shells from the crab and lobster.
Home made shellfish broth!
All the ingredients you will need for the Paella.
8 cloves Garlic,minced, 4 TBS. parsley,minced, 1 TBS. fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried, 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, 1 large bay leaf crushed, kosher or sea salt, 1/4 tsp. crumbled thread saffron,6 cups clam juice or  fish broth, 8 TBS. olive oil, 1 medium onion, finely chopped,  6 TBS. well washed minced leeks (white part only), 1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped, 2 medium tomatoes, skinned, seeded and finely chopped, 1/2 cup finely chopped, cooked carrots, 1/4 cup brandy (I used white wine), 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika, 3 cups Spanish rice (bomba), 2 TBS. freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 cup peas, 1-1/2 lbs. Lump Crabmeat(when substituting other fish do not exceed the amount called for, So all the seafood should not exceed 1-1/2 lbs.)

Ingredients all prepared.  We usually try to prepare all of the ingredients on Saturday.
It makes the cooking procedure on Sunday a snap!

In a mortar or mini processor, you mash to a paste 1/2 of the garlic, parsley, crushed red pepper, bay leaf(crumble well first), and 1/4 tsp. salt. I like the mortar & pestal method, you can really mash and get out any aggression from the week! This paste really packs the flavor.
Next take your hot fish broth and add the saffron. Keep over the lowest flame. 
Preheat the oven to 400F for gas oven, 450 F for electric.

Heat the oil in the paella pan, over two bunners if necessary on high flame.

Add the onion, leeks, peppers, remaining garlic, saute until vegetables are softtened.
Stir in the tomatoes, cooked carrots and brandy and boil away liquid over high heat. Stir in the paprika and rice, coating it well with the pan mixture.

Pour in all the broth and lemon juice and bring to a boil. 
Add the peas and mortar mixture, salt to taste. This is where I added the monkfish. Continue to boil, stirring and rotating the pan occasionally, until the rice is no longer soupy, but sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice.

Through all the steam (ahh-steam facial) stir in the crab and lobster meat.


Transfer to the oven, cook uncovered until the rice is almost al dente, 10-12 minutes in a gas oven,
15-20 minutes in an electric oven.
Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil,


and let sit 5-10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste.
Check the bottom of the rice to see if it is a little crunchy. If not, turn burners on to medium high
and cook uncovered 5-10 minutes until rice forms a crust on the bottom of the rice.

Paella!
This has been so fun to do!

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