A Life, Lived

Maple Glazed Salmon with Butternut Squash Risotto

Fall flavours abound in this dish from Chef Jason Parsons, from the maple glazing the salmon to the butternut squash and sage in the risotto. Jason is the chef at Peller Estates winery and appears from time to time on Toronto's Cityline. He is well known for using fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients wherever possible.

We had some squash that we needed to eat up from our CSA deliveries and we're trying to eat more fish in our diet so this was a good pairing.

The recipe looks complicated but if you take it step by step and break things down it is more than manageable. The results are impressive - you'll think you've been transported from your kitchen to a fancy restaurant!

Maple Glazed Sockeye Salmon with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese and Sage Risotto

2 portions wild sockeye salmon fillets (approx 114 g each portion)
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other cooking oil)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup shallots (finely chopped)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 cup arborio rice (risotto rice)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup butternut squash puree (or 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree)
1/2 cup diced cooked butternut squash
1 tbsp fresh sage (finely chopped)
1/2 cup goat cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup 35% cream (whipping cream)

Heat the grapeseed oil in fry pan over high heat.  Place the salmon skin side up to sear. Once brown (approx. 1 minute) turn the salmon over and continue to sear for another minute.  Then pour the maple syrup over the fillet and add 2 tbsp of butter.  Place the pan in a 375 degree oven for another 5 minutes. Basting the fillet with the maple butter pan juices every minute.  Remove and rest for 1 minute before serving.

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the shallots, garlic and sauté without colour for 1 minute.  Add the rice and stir until every grain shines from the butter.  Add a 1/3 of the chicken stock and simmer until almost dry.  Add another 1/3 of the stock and continue to simmer until almost dry, repeat with the reaming 1/3 of stock until the rice is soft to the bite.  Add the cooked diced butternut squash, squash puree and warm through.  Add the goat cheese, parmesan cheese and allow to melt. Then season with salt and pepper.  Last add the whipping cream, sage and serve.

Spinach Risotto

A few weeks ago the first of the local spinach arrived in our CSA shipment. I decided that I would use it up in a risotto. I don't think that I have ever had spinach risotto before but that didn't stop me. Once the notion had entered my stream of consciousness there was only one way to find happiness.

Enter GOOGLE.

This recipe was on the Williams Sonoma website. The cook is advised that:

Shredded spinach gives this risotto a lovely green hue. To give the risotto a more even green color, after sautéing the spinach or other greens, puree them with 1/4 cup vegetable stock in a food processor or blender.

Of course I wanted a lovely green colour so I followed this easy step.

The result was amazing!

Spinach Risotto

6 cups vegetable stock
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
3/4 lb. spinach, stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise
2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a simmer and maintain over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the spinach mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Add the rice to the pan and stir until well coated with the oil and translucent with a white dot in the center, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after each addition. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding more. Reserve 1/4 cup stock to add at the end.

When the rice is almost tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center and looks creamy, after about 18 minutes, add the spinach mixture to the pan and add a ladleful of stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach mixture is heated through and the rice is al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter, cheese and the reserved 1/4 cup stock. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club - Risotto with Shrimp and Asparagus

 

It is hard to believe that it has been a month already since I last sat down to a virtual dinner with the wonderful ladies who make up the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. May seems to have raced by in a blur of activity. Hopefully June will be a titch more calm . . .

The theme this month was 'fresh and local' and was selected by me.  When I picked it I figured we'd have delicious fruits and veggies pouring into the market. I had NOT counted on the cool spring. Nonetheless, the first asparagus appeared a week ago so I was able to make the shrimp and asparagus risotto recipe that I had selected.

This is an excellent risotto. I sub a dry white wine for the vermouth and it's perfect. Do NOT overcook the shrimp. The 4 minutes called for in the recipe is just about right. If you leave them in too long you will end up with rubbery, tough shrimp and no one wants that!

Be sure to pop by and see what the other members of the club are brining to the table:

Sandi of Whistlestop Cafe Cooking made GardenTomato Basil Pesto Pizza. I wonder if she whipped that up in Italy?

Roz of La Bella Vita Cucina wows us with a simple yet tasty Tomato Basil Soup.

Val made a salad of Baby Beets with Walnuts, Goat Cheese and Greens.

Susan of The Spice Garden brought along  Spinach With Garlic Vinaigrette. 

And finally, Sarah of All Our Fingers in the Pie was bringing Rhubarb Maple Fool Filo Stacks .

Risotto with Shrimp and Asparagus

4 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
3 cups (1-inch) sliced asparagus
1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Cook asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add rice; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup broth, vermouth and salt. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes). Add asparagus and shrimp; cook 4 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining ingredients.

Pea and Mint Risotto with Crispy Pancetta

For Paul's second experimentation with the new Donna Hay cookbook he decided to make this springlike risotto. Hay explained 'it is no secret that I love a one-pan dish. This baked risotto is so easy to prepare and virtually cooks itself in the oven.'

Baked risotto?

Oh my, our Italian friends must be cringing in a corner right now. I have seen full-out shooting matches between cooks debating as to whether or not risotto should be stirred regularly or not. I can't imagine the fireworks over the thought of baking it!!!

I must admit that this was very easy and tasted great. I doubt I'll give up my risotto pan and spoon and 40 minutes over a hot stove any time soon but it is nice to know that when I am tired or busy there is a new option in town!

Pea and Mint Risotto with Crispy Pancetta

1 1/2 cups frozen baby peas
2 cups arborio rice
5 cups chicken broth
1 T freshly grated lemon zest
40 g butter
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano cheese
1/2 cup shredded mint leaves
sea salt and cracked pepper
125 g goat's curd or soft cheese (this was impossible to find so we used good quality Greek yoghurt)
12 slices pancetta, cooked in a single layer in a hot oven until crisp freshly
grated parmigiano cheese, to serve

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the peas in abowl, cover with boiling water and stand for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.

Place the rice, stock, and lemon zest in a 3-litre capacity oven-proof dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven and stir through the peas, butter, 1/2 cup cheese, mint, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring (or let sit :-) ) for 5 minutes or until the risotto thickens and appears creamy.

Divide between plates and top with goat cheese, crispy pancetta, and additional parmigiano.

Garlic Ginger Coconut Rice

Yesterday I wrote about the amazing Pork Sate that I made some time ago for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. I thought that today I'd share the recipe for the garlic ginger coconut rice that we served on the side.

This is one of our favourite dishes to order when we go to Thai restaurants (which I realize doesn't happen nearly as much any more as I would like!) As a side dish, this makes a great accompaniment to a spicy dish - think Thai or Indian or Malay.  Quick and easy to make, you can dress up a meal with very little effort.

I modified a recipe that I found online by adding shallot, a chili pepper for heat, and using low-fat coconut milk, and omitting the salt. The results were amazing!

Garlic Ginger Coconut Rice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, thinly slivered
1 red Thai chili pepper, chopped finely
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed (for a healthier dish use brown rice)
2 cups water
1-13.5 oz can low-fat coconut milk
Garnish: chopped Thai basil

In saucepan over medium low heat, add oil, shallot, chili pepper, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until garlic is soft but not browned.

Add Jasmine Rice and stir until well coated.

Add water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil.

Stir well. Cover and reduce heat to lowest setting. Cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. Let sit covered an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with basil and serve.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Fried Sage and Crispy Prosciutto

Some say that risotto is the ultimate comfort food - I can't say that I disagree. As the season turns from wonderful to blah here in Ontario I have been making a LOT of risotto. I'm still not happy about the coming of winter but at least I'm not quite so cranky (although work colleagues might disagree).

My favourite fall risotto is butternut squash. Yup. I remember that I am the grown up version of the kid who used to have a week-long sulk should a thimble-sized morsel of squash ever appear on his dinner plate. Yes, I was known to dump my squash on the floor for the dog. Kids learn, They grow up.

Move on mom, move on.

I had a huge squash I purchased at the last farmer's market of the year (hence my end of the gowning season sadness). I was craving risotto so it seemed like the perfect time to bring back my fall fav. Of course I couldn't find a recipe I liked - so many of them called for roasting the squash first . . . interesting but not happening on a work night where I had 45 minutes to toss dinner on the table.

I ended up going with a recipe from Elise over at Simply recipes. The woman is a genius - I've yet to try one of her recipes that I didn't LOVE. That being said and me being me I modified the recipe a bit - I wanted a crispy salty counterpart to the creamy risotto so I added from crispy prosciutto . . . her recipe called for chives and I had none - I had LOTS of sage  which I fried up a bit to make all crispy as well. YUM.

The end result was an amazing risotto that is sure to put a smile on anyone's face!!

Butternut Squash Risotto with Fried Sage and Crispy Prosciutto
based upon a recipe by Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes

6-8 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, and finely diced
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 bunch sage - leaves removed from the stems
3 slices
Salt

Heat broth in medium sized saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When hot add the sage leaves - cook until crisp. Remove from the pan and place on paper towels.

Add the proscuitto slices, cook until crisp. Remove from the pan and place on paper towels.

Add the butter, melt. Add shallot and butternut squash. Cook over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add rice to onion and squash. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine. Cook, stirring constantly until wine has been absorbed by the rice or evaporated. Add a few ladles of broth, just enough to barely cover rice. Cook over medium heat until broth has been absorbed. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 15 to 20 minutes.

During the last minutes of cooking, add 1/3 cup Parmesan, half of the sage leaves crumbled), and 2 of the prosciutto slices (crumbled). At this point the rice should have a creamy consistency. Add salt to taste.

Serve with remaining grated Parmesan, remaining crispy sage leaves, and the remaining slice of prosciutto, crumbled.

Jambalaya

I know that last Tuesday was Fat Tuesday and New Orleans was a riot of celebration, drinking, and great food. I should have made this Jambalaya then but in OUR house we have pancakes for Shrove Tuesday (being the of British descent as we are). So yet again I am late to this party.

This recipe comes from the good folks at Fine Cooking. They call it stove-top Jambalaya which I find curious - if the fact that this is cooked on the stove makes this unique where are others cooking their jambalaya . . . on the hoods of the chevy?

Weird.

Jambalaya, a Cajun/Creole dish, is perhaps the most versatile main dish the South has to offer. It can be made with beef, pork, chicken, duck, shrimp, oysters, crayfish, sausage, or any combination or protein. Some of the more standard additions are green pepper, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, celery, and onions. Generally, the vegetables are sautéed and meat(s) cooked, then broth or water, tomatoes, seasonings, and uncooked rice are added. The mixture is simmered (presumably over a stove but eventually I shall move on) until the rice is done, and shrimp (or any other foods which should not be overcooked) are added near the end of the cooking time.

Based upon that description then this recipe wasn't far off of the mark for 'tradition'. It was well on the mark for speed and flavour. We LOVED it. I added extra hot peppers so it packed a wallop of flavour that we enjoyed. I thought that the recipe made more than the 4 servings indicated - likely 6.

If you want a taste of the south you won't go wrong with this.

Jambalaya

1 cup quick-cooking brown or white rice
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced pickled jalapeños
1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tsp. Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 lb. andouille sausage, chorizo sausage, or kielbasa, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
One 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Table salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeños and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the Cajun seasoning and oregano and stir to coat the chicken and vegetables. Add the sausage and shrimp and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, bring to a simmer, and let simmer until the chicken and shrimp are cooked through (the shrimp will be bright pink), about 3 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cooked rice and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Gorgonzola and Porcini Mushroom Risotto

The path that a dish might take to get to our dinner table is often a convoluted thing. I am sure that there are some folk out there who wake up, look about, and say 'tonight we're having porchetta, roasted potatoes, and rapini' (that being last night's menu). We are not those people.

Similarly, there are those folks who arrive home after a busy day at the office, open the freezer, pull out a box, and call it dinner. We sure as HELL are not those people. Sadly we are toiling away and paying taxes to provide health care for those people.

Anyway. This was not meant as a rant about people who eat prepared meals and thereby consume all sorts of chemicals, additives, and other guck that wasn't designed for human consumption in the first place.

This is the tale of a wonderful risotto that we made two weeks ago. The first part of the tale involved Paul getting braces. No one really notices that Paul needs braces (me, they would have no doubt about), however apparently it is something that has been eating away at him since he was a wee lad.  So he has embarked upon a two year journey to a straight smile.

We thought that his mouth might be sore after having them on. I figured soft food would be in order. The problem was that, not being 100, I don't cook soft food as a rule. We decided that risotto might just be soft enough for the poor lad - but which one?

The next part in this tale involved me searching through the cupboards recently and finding 6 packages of dried porcini mushrooms that I have brought back from Italy over the years. I don't know if dried mushrooms go bad but I figured that unlike Dick Clark the mushrooms might not last forever so I had better use them up.

Mushroom risotto.

Then I happened to realize that some confusion had set in whilst shopping and we had more gorgonzola in the refrigerator than we were going to use. This, kids, is a happy event. Who doesn't want excess gorgonzola in the fridge? Of course, it too doens't last forever.

Gorgonzola, Porcini, Risotto . . . was there a recipe for this out there for such a combination? To Google I went.

It turns out that there was and it was by Giada De Laurentiis. This was pause for thought. I haven't made many recipes by Giada and I have a wee bit o'snobbery when it comes to those populist food network chefs . . . I mean, if you are selling spoons, coffee, and pasta in Target how serious a chef are you anyway?

Plus - she is a tad too happy for my liking. She isn't manic like that chipmunk on laughing gas Rachel Ray but anyone who ohhs and ahhs over every bit of food she makes can't be trusted!

See what I mean about the complex journey from concept to prepared food on our table? To think you likely thought Lord of the Rings was convoluted. Ha.

Anyway. The reviews were positive (although some were stupid - I hate reviews on the webthat go like this . . . 'I didn't have the right rice so I used regular Uncle Ben's brown rice instead, left the mushrooms out because my guests don't like mushrooms, and used cheddar instead of gorgonzola because DH doesn't eat blue cheese'. You didn't make the recipe then so don't bloody well review it!)  Plus, having read the recipe I liked the technique so the bullet was bitten and off I went. Besides, if Paul really was in pain he likely wouldn't care what he was eating.

OK. Truth be told, pain or no pain he doesn't much care. If someone has cooked for him he'll eat it. It is not by accident that he has received the moniker 'the Human Garbage Can'.

The results were excellent. The mushroom flavour is intense - because the stock is infused with the flavour (the ONE thing I didn't like about the recipe was that she didn't direct you to strain the liquid after the mushrooms had been reconstituted - I ALWAYS strain the liquid because it has bits of stuff you might not wnat to eat - just use a coffee filter to get the fine particles out). The finished risotto is full of that amazing gorgonzola flavour.

In the end this was one of the best risottos we have ever had. Paul liked it so much that he had two portions - pain or no pain.

Gorgonzola and Porcini Mushroom Risotto

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 cup (3 ounces) Gorgonzola, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the porcini mushrooms. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and set aside.

Reheat the stock to a simmer and keep warm over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the onions are tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of warm stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue with remaining stock, adding 1/2 cup at a time, and allowing each addition to be absorbed, until the rice is tender to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan, Gorgonzola, chives, salt and pepper. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Risotto

The other day I was cleaning the fruit cellar when I found a bag with a 'ginormous' butternut squash inside. This thing had been hiding away in there since September. Well, it's time had come.

Some of it became a part of a roasted root vegetable medley, some was sauteed and joined the vegetarian quiche I made on Sunday, tonight I diced 2 cups of it and added it to a risotto recipe. Believe it or not, I still have HALF of this sucker left!

It may be time for soup.

To me there are few things as comforting as a bowl of risotto - the rice al dente, the dish sprinkled with cheese, the consistency so creamy that you convince yourself that there is cream in the dish (there is not unless you follow a poor recipe BAH). In the midst of cold, grey January I required a bowl of comfort.

Making a good risotto is rather like riding a bicycle: It takes a little bit of practice to begin with, and a certain amount of concentration thereafter. Risotto are also very sensitive to timing, and this is why what is served in a restaurant (no matter how good it is) will rarely display that rich texture and just-right doneness that a good home-made risotto will. Tonight's risotto scored in the texture category and it was a winner for taste as well.

I used a recipe from Elise at Simply Recipes as a base but confess I strayed . . . I wanted sage with my risotto but her recipe had none. As well, her recipe calls for butter and I prefer to make my risotto with a butter/olive oil mix. Other than that I followed along fairly well.

Butternut Squash Risotto
(based upon this recipe from Simply Recipes)

6-8 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, and finely diced
2 cups arborio rice (can substitute medium grained white rice, but arborio is preferred)
1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped sage
10 large sage leaves
Salt

Heat broth in medium sized saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. When hot quickly fry the sage leaves until crisp (but not burnt). Remove with tongues and drain on a paper towel. Add onion and butternut squash to the pan. Cook over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add rice to onion and squash. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine. Cook, stirring constantly until wine has been absorbed by the rice or evaporated. Add a few ladles of broth, just enough to barely cover rice. Cook over medium heat until broth has been absorbed. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 15 to 20 minutes.

During the last minutes of cooking, add 1/3 cup Parmesan, and the chopped sage. At this point the rice should have a creamy consistency. Add salt to taste. Serve with remaining grated Parmesan and the fried sage leaves on top.

Paella

It is hard to believe that this is that last Sunday Slow Supper post! It has been an interesting (and tasty) run since we started off with Smoked Paprika Roasted Chicken  in January. One of the best things about the cooking challenge is that it forces you to try things that you might not normally make. This recipe was a cook example of this - sure, paella I'd make but I'd never use mussels in it. I've never cooked with mussels. I have now.

There are many recipes out there for Paella . . . originally a dish from Valencia, now many regions in Spain make a variation of it with the ingredients changing to match what is available. In some regions there is more seafood, in areas away from the sea there is more meat. This recipe is a good example of what is called a mixed paella - paella mixta.

'Junior Balloon' AKA Brian selected this recipe. We had the pleasure of meeting he and his wife four (!) years ago when they joined us on a walking tour of Venice. He pulled together bits and pieces from various paella recipes and came up with one that he loved. Brian took the experiment very seriously, buying a paella pan and cooking it over an open flame. I didn't buy the pan, nor did I cook it over an open flame as the Spanish would, but I did take the rest seriously.

When following the recipe I noticed that there was an ingredient missing - it called for onions to be added to the oil with the garlic yet there were no onions listed. I added half of an onion chopped up. I ended up using more mussels that the recipe called for because I had bought 2 lbs of them and they needed to be used up.

I made a similar dish last summer with the Daring Cooks group that was finished off with allioli. It was such a brilliant addition that I made some and served it with last night's paella.

This was wonderful! Word to the wise though - it makes a lot! LOL I'm heading out on Tuesday for the rest of the week so Paul will be eating leftovers for the rest of the week.

Paella

10 pieces Split Chicken Wings or Wing Drumettes
1 Lb Pork Short Ribs (have your butcher cut the ribs into 1" sections, crosswise cutting the bones)
Note: Give both of the above some salt and pepper before browning.
1/2 pound Chorizo
½ Lb Shrimp (with shells)
3 large Scallops cut in half (or 6 small)
1 Lb Assorted Mussels and Clams
½ to 1 cup Tomate Frito, tomato sauce, or tomato puree.
4 Cloves Garlic (minced or chopped)
3-6 Piquillo Peppers (sliced into strips) plus a few strips reserved to use as garnish
½ cup Peas
1 cup Green Beans (cut into 1" sections)
1 tsp. Saffron Threads or ¼ to ½ tsp. Powdered
1/4 tsp of smoked Spanish paprika
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups Paella Rice
4-6 cups Shellfish Broth (recipe below) or substitute Chicken Broth or bouillon.
Salt to taste

Prep Time/ Cook Time
30 minutes preparation, 35 minutes cooking (cooking time may vary depending on the type of burner/stove/oven you are using)

Note: If using Chicken Stock heat before hand. I also like the idea of adding the Saffron to the stock (as I've done before with Rissoto) I did not include the shell stock recipe. I'm sure most of you have made such many times. As for the shrimp and whether you should shell them or not, of the recipes I read it was done both ways. I am going to split then down the back so they can be cleaned, but leaving the shells on for cooking.

1. Add the Olive Oil to the Paella Pan and Sauté the Chicken Wings and Pork medium-high heat for 20 minutes or until almost done. Set aside.
2. Add Onion and garlic saute for a few minutes.
3. Add the Chorizo and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add the Tomate Frito, Piquillo Peppers, Smoked Paprika and Cook for 2-3 minutes more.
5. Add the Rice and stir the mixture to coat, about 1 minute.
6. Add the Chicken wings and rib pieces.
7. Add the Peas, Green Beans and Saffron. Stir under medium heat for 1 minute to incorporate the mixture.
8. Add the hot Shellfish Broth (or chicken stock) to the Rice Mixture (add 6 cups if using Bomba Rice, otherwise add 4 cups.) Cook a for a few minutes.

NOTE: Tip From Yaya's Kitchen: From the point of adding the Hot Shellfish Broth and the liquid coming to a boil, the total cooking time to completion of the recipe will be about 15-18 minutes (it may take a few minutes longer for deep pans, if using a small burner/stove, or if using a slow-cooking rice such as Bomba.) Do not stir after this point, and control the heat so the bottom is not scorched.

9. Add Shrimp and Scallops
10. A few minutes before the rice is done arrange the Mussels and Clams tucking them into the rice.
11. When the rice is almost done, raise the heat and carmelize (“socorat”) the rice on the bottom of the paella pan.
12. Remove from the heat, garnish with reserved peppers, cover with a sheet of newspaper and let sit for 5- 10 minutes.