| Paella, the rice-based Spanish dish, is one of the most | | | | - 2 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes |
| internationally known recipes. It is also very versatile, | | | | - 1/2 cup of olive oil |
| allowing many variations as long as two main | | | | - Salt |
| ingredients are consistently present: Rice and Saffron. | | | | Prep Work at Home |
| Other than that, this dish can really take many | | | | - In a medium saucepan, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil |
| ingredients. Even the rice can be of any kind. I buy the | | | | and heat for a few minutes. Add the minced onions, |
| medium or long grain that can be found at any grocery | | | | garlic and green pepper and saute for about ten |
| store, and it makes a fine paella. | | | | minutes. Add the chicken drumlets and cover. Pour in |
| Saffron, however, is another matter. I still remember an | | | | one-quarter cup of white cooking wine, cover and |
| invitation to a paella cookout in California many years | | | | cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 |
| ago. Our hosts had prepared an outside burner, the | | | | tablespoons of water and 2 teaspoons of Spanish |
| typical paella cooking pan and a large array of | | | | paprika (pimenton) and cook for an additional 10 |
| "yummy" ingredients to add. When they started | | | | minutes. Allow the chicken to cool off, place in a |
| cooking they pulled out a container of "yellow #5" food | | | | container and refrigerate until ready to take to the |
| colorant and added it to the pan. My husband and I | | | | beach. |
| instantly looked at each other and said: " It is not | | | | - Clean and peel the shrimp (optional); rinse the scallops |
| paella." I will leave up to you to consider the importance | | | | and cut the squid fillets in medium pieces. Add a few |
| of real saffron when preparing a good, real paella. | | | | spoons of water and place in a separate container |
| Saffron adds the typical yellow color to the rice, but it | | | | from the chicken. Refrigerate until ready to take to the |
| also adds its characteristic flavor. | | | | beach. |
| I share with you my traditional recipe for Spanish paella, | | | | - Clams may have sand inside, and I advise you to |
| passed down for many generations in my family in | | | | rinse them and place them in boiling water for just a |
| Spain. With a little prep work at home, this recipe is | | | | few seconds until they open. As they start to open up, |
| great for a beach cookout. | | | | spoon them out of the water and place them in a |
| Katalenas Spanish Paella al Fresco | | | | container with a few spoonfuls of the cooking water |
| Ingredients/utensils you may need to research and find | | | | and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to go to the |
| in advance | | | | beach. |
| You're going to need a paella dish, a shallow metal or | | | | - Do not discard the water used to cook the clams. It |
| clay pan, usually round. The other two ingredients to | | | | contains flavor from the clams and will be used later, |
| look for in advance are Spanish paprika, called | | | | when we cook the rice. You can strain it through |
| "pimenton" and saffron. You can find both at ("La | | | | cheesecloth or even a cloth napkin to remove |
| Tienda" means "the store" in Spanish.) Most paella | | | | impurities. Refrigerate. Later when I indicate to boil 5 |
| dishes contain some kind of meat. I use chicken | | | | cups of water to make the rice; you can use the |
| because everybody likes it, but you can add beef or | | | | clam's water as part of it. |
| Spanish chorizo (sausage), or a combination of both. | | | | - Cut up the onion, bell pepper, garlic and carrot in small |
| The ingredients and the preparation will list the chicken | | | | pieces and reserve. Refrigerate. |
| recipe first, as it must be cooked in advance. If you | | | | Preparation (at the beach) |
| want to skip the prep work on the meat, chorizo can | | | | - Bring 5 cups of water (including reserved water from |
| be added directly to the paella on the beach; simply cut | | | | cooking the clams) to a boil. Add the 2 chicken bouillon |
| into pieces. | | | | cubes and the saffron to the water. |
| Ingredients: | | | | - While the water is heating, place the paella dish on |
| For the chicken: | | | | the fire and add a half cup of olive oil. When the oil is |
| - 1-lb of small chicken wing drumsticks | | | | warm, pour in the cut vegetables, stirring occasionally |
| - 1/2 onion | | | | and cooking until the onions are transparent. |
| - 1/3 of a green pepper | | | | - Add the cooked chicken, with all its sauce and |
| - 2 garlic cloves | | | | vegetables. Stir in as it starts to warm up. Then add |
| - 1/4 cup of white cooking wine | | | | the raw fish (the mixture of shimp, scallops and squid) |
| - 2 tsp of Spanish paprika (pimenton) | | | | and stir frequently while it cooks. At this point the |
| - 3 tbsp of olive oil | | | | aroma of the fish, chicken, and vegetables will draw |
| For the Paella: | | | | people toward the fire. |
| - 2 cups of white rice | | | | - After about 10 minutes, and while still maintaining a |
| - 5 cups of water | | | | medium heat, pour in the rice. Stir it around until all the |
| - 1 medium onion | | | | grains are wet with the juices from the other |
| - 1/2 green pepper | | | | ingredients, just a couple of minutes. Then add the |
| - 2 garlic cloves | | | | near-boiling water (with the saffron and chicken bouillon |
| - 1 carrot | | | | cubes melted in). Stir all the ingredients together for 5 |
| - 1 lb of large shrimp, uncooked | | | | minutes. Reduce heat to low. Salt to taste and insert |
| - 1/2 lb of scallops | | | | the clams throughout the paella. Simmer over low heat |
| - 18 little neck clams | | | | until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft, about |
| - 3 squid fillets | | | | 20 minutes. |
| - 2 envelopes of saffron (or two teaspoons of | | | | Good luck and Good Appetite! |
| powder saffron) | | | | |