Paella Cooking Demonstration
Chef J Maxwell
1/24/09
Enough for 8 to 10, or 6 really hungry for paella
Stock
2 Large yellow onions or red onions
1 bunch Celery
2 extra large carrots
8 each peeled crushed garlic
1 large tomato
1 bunch Fresh Parsley
10 to 12 whole peppercorns, 3 Bay leafs, Saffron, sweet smoked paprika
1 tbs Salt
1 Chicken Carcass
Use a rough chop meaning, larger than spoon size for stocks.
MOP:
1. In large pot sauté 2 carrots, 1 bunch celery, 2 onions and 8 garlic till caramelized. Deglaze with 1 cup white wine. After 1 minute of stirring add 1 tomato, black peppercorns, 3 dried bay leafs, 1 bunch parsley, and 3 qt. cold water and bring to a boil. Once to a boil lower to medium heat.
2. Add Carcass of chicken after fabricating. Boil for 30 minutes skimming the scum and discarding. You can turn off heat and let sit for an hour, strain, and chill in fridge for up to 5 days, do not cover completely till chilled to 40 degrees. This can be done a day or two before.
3. Bring Chicken stock to a boil, medium heat, and add 4 table spoon sweet smoked paprika, 25 to 35 strands of Saffron.
4. Add Chicken pieces after browning all sides. After 15 minutes chicken should be cooked through. Now you have an awesome stock for paella. Take out chicken and keep warm to add at the end.
Paella
1 yellow onion and 1 red onion
8 large peeled and chopped garlic pieces
1 red, 1yellow, and 1 orange pepper, all chopped about dime size
2 large tomatoes, chopped quarter size, add at the end, off the heat.
4 to 5 cups Arborio rice
1 tbs parsley and 1 tbs basil, fresh or dried
Butter, olive oil
5 tbs Sweet Smoked Hungarian Paprika
25 to 35 strands Saffron
1 whole chicken (quartered chicken), 1 lb shrimp 26-30, 2 large Chorizo (1pk), Couple clams and mussels if possible or whatever you like
Salt and pepper
3 to 4 cups good white wine that you drink
Paella MOP: Method of Preparation
1. Sauté chicken with oil in large paella pan or casserole dish, just browning on all sides. Then add to stock pot to finish cooking.
2. Sauté onions and garlic in paella pan, medium heat with oil till caramelized. Add peppers and chorizo till caramelized.
3. Deglaze with 2 cups white wine, stirring with spoon to get all the font, brown good flavor off pan, add 15 to 20 strings Saffron, 1 tbs paprika after 1 minute add ½ stick butter (butter optional).
4. Add rice to paella pan, stirring so all rice is coated in butter and oil and sauté for 1 minute, keep stirring. Turn down heat to medium or less.
5. Add 8oz (1 cup) to 12 oz (1.5 cups) of paella stock to rice, stir, relax, breath, rice should not be swimming in stock, just enough, relax, add 4 oz more, stir
6. Every 2 minutes or so you need to add 8 to 12 oz paella stock, do not watch TV or go to the store, once you start you cannot stop. Keep stirring, lightly, make sure the heat is not to hot. Should be a mellow simmer boil.
7. Risotto and paella will take 3 to 4 parts stock to 1 part rice.
8. After 15 minutes of cooking, taste for Salt and pepper, add if needed.
9. Add shrimp. Lightly stir, 4 minutes later add chicken cleaned fresh clams and mussels, fresh herbs, little more stock if needed, just enough, you want the rice on the bottom and sides to get crispy. Cover with tin foil/ or lid for 2 minutes, to help clams and mussels cook. After 1 to 2 minutes, look at your clams, are they done, turn off heat, uncover add tomatoes and recover
10. Open your favorite wine; ring the bell because it is time to eat. Bring pan to table and take lid off so everyone can take it in.
11. Takes time and experience to know when to stop adding stock to achieve the crispy browned rice. It might look burnt but is the best part, as long as you do not burn it of course. Practice and you will have fun learning. Good luck.
Take largest piece of chicken and make sure it is cooked threw; you can do this after removing from stock before adding to paella. Raw chicken, BAD.
You can make the stock days ahead if you want, or use pre-made stocks from local stores. You can cut chicken breast in smaller pieces so cooks faster and easier to eat at the end.
The crispy rice on bottom of pan is the best part, so don’t be afraid, use medium or lower heat towards the end. The more you make it the better you get. When you experience and achieve the crispy rice you have done it right.
Paella is funniest when outside on the grill. Use same steps but grill the food first while making rice in pan right on the grill or side burner. Add grilled food to the rice and build your own masterpiece. Good times.
It is all about the stock, if the stock is weak your risotto and paella will be weak. You have to taste the stock and as you are cooking, taste, taste the best part.
If you stock is salty thin out with water or more unsalted stock, before you start.
Have some fun, make some friends and be healthy.
Chef J Maxwell
Check out my space for food picture of Paella. http://www.myspace.com/437948621
