Last summer, my cousin and I spent a week in Barcelona. I loved every second of it – from the Gaudi artwork and the tucked away boutiques to the siestas and trips to the beach at dusk. Every morning, Paul and I had coffee and Iberian Jabugo (cured Spanish ham) sandwiches at Café Viena on La Rambla. They were impossible to get sick of. If you don’t believe me, take Mark Bittman’s word for it.
Like most European countries, food is the common denominator that unites Spaniards. They eat ham for breakfast and take hours-long lunch breaks. I think we can learn a thing or two from them. The best thing I took from that trip (and another one before it, in 2004) was paella. There’s something about sitting on a waterfront with the sun still shining at 8 pm, glass of white wine in hand, that makes you believe in magic. Add to that a steaming plate of seafood and rice and you’ve got yourself a perfect night. I love paella for its comfort, its crusty, burnt bits on the bottom of the pan (called soccorat in Spanish), and its possibilities. My idea of perfect paella combines shrimp, peas, peppers and chorizo. Yours might have mushrooms, mussels and ham. Or duck and green beans. Or rabbit and turnips! Paella is a blank canvas you can paint with whatever colors you choose. And it’s just about the most beautiful dish in the world.
Paella is a Catalan word derived from the Latin word for pan – patella. Traditionally, it’s cooked in this big polished steel contraption over an open fire. I don’t have the hardware, and my Brooklyn apartment doesn’t take kindly to open flames (Dave and I learned this the hard way when we tried to use our temperamental fire place one blisteringly cold night last February. We're still finding ashes in the living room). What I do have, however, is a fantastic one-hour paella recipe that cooks in a pasta pot and still produces my beloved soccorat. Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical about this dish missing an authentic Spanish quality. No magic paella pan? No open flame? What was I to do? Well, I’m nothing if not adaptable (I am the girl who ate Spanish ham sandwiches for breakfast every day in Barcelona, thank you very much). And so, I found that eating this paella with the Vicky Christina Barcelona soundtrack provided the touch of Spain I was looking for. It’s amazing what music can do. Note: this recipe supposedly yields four servings, but in actuality it can easily serve eight people. We had leftovers for a week, which tasted spectacular reheated. I am a big proponent of making paella for a crowd. I’m thinking a Spanish-themed dinner party with lots of sangria.
Paella with Artichokes, Shrimp and Chorizo
Adapted from Gourmet
Ingredients
3/4 pound cooked chorizo or linguiça sausage, cut into chunks
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1-pound bag saffron rice. Note: saffron is always used in paella, but it’s expensive. I recommend a saffron rice, such as Vigo, to get the essence of the plant without spending a ton of money.
1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained (don’t use a fresh artichoke. It’s just too much work).
1 8-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
2 cups chicken stock, fish broth, or dry white wine (I prefer one cup of chicken stock and one cup of wine)
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
In a large skillet with a lid, brown the chorizo in the oil until crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, artichoke hearts, peppers, broth or wine, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and peas. Cover and continue cooking until the shrimp are opaque, 5 to 7 minutes.
