[sts9fan]

Busted out the ole 22" paella pan last night for a night of Spanish flavors.  I make a hybrid paella with seafood and meat.  This one had chicken thighs, chorizo, littlenecks, mussels and shrimp.
We did drink some French muscat reserva with sauteed figs for desert but it is from Catalonia so lets not split hairs. 
Seasoning the pan


Dinner

[ooheadsoo]

Looks tasty.  I've never had paella.   Was in Barcelona once and I still kick myself for not trying some.

[ltr317]

Looks tasty.  I've never had paella.   Was in Barcelona once and I still kick myself for not trying some.

I had paella several times when I was in Barcelona in the late 1980s and each time it was awesome.  Each place I tried it made the dish slightly different. 

[kyyuan]

holy moly... I want some  aa

[Berndt]

I've built a few rustic Basque implements.
I was trained by an expat to use a farmers disc.
I found they season great.
Weld up the center 1" square hole and you have a 28" disc that is pretty high carbon.
Sorry to ramble, will get pictures.
Nice job with the weber, I have the same cast iron bench.

[sts9fan]

That is one of the great things about paella.  You can't really make it wrong.  When I was in Barcelona and other areas of Catalonia it was different at every stop.  Sangria is the same way.  Every place is different so there is not "right" way.  I will say the the paella in Spain is MUCH saltier and greasier then I make it.

[jqp]

Just used that grill myself twice this weekend.

I had the dish in Rome, lots of octopus/squid - delicious

[lonewolfny42]

Every time I look at that photo....I feel....hungry...

Question.....How long does it take to cook the Paella on the grill ?

Thanks.....

[sts9fan]

Cook time is pretty quick. I would say around 30min.  Prep is not too bad though I did make fresh fish stock with fishheads and the shrimp shells. Stock aside I would say 2 busy hours total but I prepped slowly all day. I can post details later.

[lonewolfny42]

Thanks.....

[sts9fan]

Ok here goes

First make sure the pan is well seasoned.

Begin by frying up the chorizo chunks.  They do not have to be fully cooked just lots from crusty goodness. Remove chorizo from pan and set aside.
Season the chicken thighs well with salt pepper and Spanish smoked paprika and brown in the pan.  Again full cooking is not the goal. Set aside with chrorizo.
Now take very fine chopped onion, thyme, garlic and cooked tomato and add to the pan.  For 22" I used 1.5 onion and a box of chopped tomato.  you can also use a box grader on the onion.  Add this to the pan it is called the Sofrito.  Cook this mixture down till all the water is gone from the tomato and it is a thickish paste.
Add in the rice.  For 22" I use 4 cups.  fry up the raw rice.
Add 8 cups of fresh fish stock
level everything out
then add back your chorizo and chicken
then stick all your seafood into the pan. Some people may precook the shrimp or fry it before the rice but I don't think you have too and I think the less a shrimp is cooked the better.
Let simmer and when the rice is cooked you should be done.  You may need to add more stock but I usually don't. 
You do want to try and get a nice crispy layer on the botton for a nice texture but not burnt.  Serve with lime wedges although I forgot them on Saturday.
 
RULE!!!!!
ALWAYS SERVE PAELLA IN THE PAN ON THE TABLE!!!!!

[Christof]

Sts9fan

Looks great!!  I have a couple questions for ya....what type/brand of rice are you using and what do you mean by "a box of cooked tomatoes"?  I've tried my hand at Paella about a half dozen times and every time it comes out different for some reason   I'm using an 18" pan on a gas range.  It seems that even with my largest burner I can't get a big enough flame to heat the whole underside of the pan, the heat is concentrated mostly in about a 10" diameter area, leaving the outer edge cool.  I assume this heat problem does not happen over a grill if the coals are even but what do you do if you are cooking indoors to get a uniform heat pattern over 18"-22" pan?

Thx
c.

[sts9fan]

I just get chopped tomatos in a box not a BPA lined can.  For rice short grain is best but medium will work  It holds up to the fast cooking better without gettting mushy.  Finally how to cook indoors.  I don't   Can't get even heat on a 22.

[Imperial]

I eat paella a couple of times a month myself! I'm gonna have to try that recipe!!! 

Yummy!!!

Imperial

[kyyuan]

y'all need to stop posting.... I now have a permanent drooling problem. 

[S Clark]

I had paella first at a little place in Jerez years ago.  I use chicken stock instead of fish (just a personal preference) and a healthy dose of saffron.  I also usually coarsely chop a bell pepper as well.  Shrimp, squid, sausage, and chicken are the meats. Otherwise, my recipe is much like the above. Usually served with a nice Rioja reserva or grand reserva when I can find them.

[Grumpy_Git]

christof

Something like a simmer ring would help spread the heat moreevenly if you can get one in the correct size.

http://thecookskitchen.com/browse_7685

Nick.