Vibrant Mediterranean Paella
"MEDITERRANEAN COOKINGLet’s Make PaellaTraditionally, paella is made over a fire in a huge pan for a large crowd. Here you’ll find recipes for the stovetop and grill that have the same rich, smoky flavor but smaller portions and are easier to prepare—no live wood fire needed.Just big enough to feed a family or a small group of friends, the stovetop mixed paella is packed with tender chicken thighs, juicy pork medallions, and plump shrimp. The key to success is limiting the pan size so that it’s not much bigger than the burner below it. Also, make sure to pay attention to the boiling pattern of the broth while the rice cooks, moving the pan around to make sure all areas are exposed to the heat.And when the weather is nice, move the paella outdoors. This meat-only paella is cooked on the grill, emulating the live-fire method traditionally used in Spain. It features tender chicken drumsticks and thighs and juicy pieces of pork tenderloin, along with plump grains of Spanish rice and seasonings like saffron and smoked paprika. Keep in mind: It’s imperative to follow the doneness cues in this recipe rather than timing; the times are rough estimates since actual timing of each step will vary depending on the heat of your grill.Stovetop Paella Mixta With Pork, Chicken, and ShrimpACTIVE 1 hr 45 mins 
TOTAL 1 hr 45 mins 
SERVES 4 servingsFOR THE SOFRITOFOR THE PAELLA1. For the Sofrito: In a medium heatproof bowl, cover dried peppers (if using) with boiling water (if not using, skip to Step 3). Place a weight or wet paper towel on top to submerge peppers. Let stand until peppers fully soften, 30 minutes to 1 hour. If peppers are stubborn, tear a small hole in them to let water inside.2. Drain peppers and discard stems and seeds. Using a paring knife, carefully scrape flesh from skins; discard skins.3. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add garlic, onions, bell pepper, and scraped chile flesh (if using); season lightly with salt and cook, stirring, until vegetables have released their liquid and are beginning to brown lightly on bottom of the pan, about 6 minutes.4. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring and scraping frequently, until sofrito is sweet to taste and a deep golden brown color, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. You should have about 1 cup. Sofrito can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. (Extra sofrito can be used as a flavor base for soups, sauces, braises, stews, and more.)5. For the Paella: In a 12- or 13-inch paella pan or straight-sided stainless-steel sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high until shimmering.6. Season chicken and pork with salt, then add to pan and cook, turning, until deeply browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a platter, leaving chicken in the pan.7. Add ½ cup sofrito, the paprika, and saffron, and cook, stirring and scraping until well mixed and sizzling.8. Add stock (or water) and bring to a rolling boil. Season lightly with salt. Sprinkle in rice all over, making sure grains are submerged and none are stuck on top of the pieces of chicken. Using your spatula, gently swirl the liquid around to distribute rice evenly. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.9. Cook for 8 minutes, observing boiling pattern throughout cooking, and repositioning pan over heat every few minutes to heat all areas, then return pork to pan. Season shrimp with salt and nestle around chicken thighs and pork pieces. Continue cooking and repositioning pan until rice is al dente and liquid is fully absorbed, about 8 minutes longer; turn shrimp and cook until pink on both sides. Reduce heat to low if needed to prevent scorching on bottom (though browned and crispy rice on the bottom is desirable). Continue observing the boiling pattern, and moving the pan to give heat to all areas.10. If liquid cooks off and rice isn’t done enough, add more boiling-hot stock or water in small additions; continue cooking until rice reaches desired doneness. Use a spoon to carefully dig into the paella and check the bottom of the pan to make sure nothing is burning.11. When rice is perfectly cooked and liquid is fully absorbed, remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and parsley (if using).PER SERVING: 634 cal., 32g fat (7g sat. fat), 239mg chol., 1,975mg sodium, 24g carb., 2g fiber, 1g sugars, 63g pro.–Daniel GritzerWHY IT
WORKSUsing a small pan helps compensate for a stovetop burner’s limited size, allowing for more even heat and better results.A premade sofrito adds deep flavor and simplifies the paella-making process.Optional dried peppers add a profound earthy flavor to the paella.Grilled Chicken and Pork PaellaACTIVE 2 hrs 15 mins 
TOTAL 2 hrs 30 mins 
SERVES 6 to 8 servingsFOR THE SOFRITOFOR THE PAELLA1. For the Sofrito: In a medium heatproof bowl, cover dried peppers (if using) with boiling water (if not using, skip to Step 3). Place a weight or wet paper towel on top to submerge peppers. Let stand until peppers fully soften, 30 minutes to 1 hour. If peppers are stubborn, tear a small hole in them to let water inside.2. Drain peppers and discard stems and seeds. Using a paring knife, carefully scrape flesh from skins; discard skins.3. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add garlic, onions, bell peppers, leek, and scraped chile flesh (if using); season lightly with salt and cook, stirring, until vegetables have released their liquid and are beginning to brown lightly on bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes.4. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring and scraping frequently, until sofrito is sweet to taste and a deep golden brown color, about 45 minutes longer. You should have about 2 cups. Sofrito can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.5. For the Paella: Place grill on a level surface. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals evenly over surface of coal grate. Set grilling grate in place and set a 17-inch paella pan on top of grate.6. Add olive oil to pan, pushing it around with a long metal spatula (or stainless-steel wok spatula) to coat entire surface; heat until olive oil is lightly smoking.7. Season chicken and pork with salt, then add to pan; cook, turning, until deeply browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a platter and leave chicken in the pan, pushing chicken pieces to the outer edge.8. Add tomato purée, 1 cup sofrito, paprika, and saffron, and cook, stirring and scraping until tomato sauce is moderately browned, about 2 minutes.9. Add stock (or water) and bring to a rolling boil. Season lightly with salt. Sprinkle in rice all over, making sure grains are submerged and none are stuck on top of the pieces of chicken. Using your spatula, gently swirl the liquid around to distribute rice evenly. Return to a boil and cook, without stirring, for 8 minutes. Return pork to paella pan.10. At this point, depending on the heat of your grill, you’ll likely want to raise the paella higher aloft to increase it’s distance from the heat source and lessen the chances that it burns below (unless your grill has gotten so tepid that the paella is barely simmering, you’ll want to do this). To do it, lift paella pan carefully off the grill. Set wadded-up aluminum foil or, for an even higher lift, bricks, on the grill grate (it helps to have another person aid you during this step).11. Set paella pan back on grill and continue cooking until rice is al dente and liquid is fully absorbed, about 8 minutes longer; turn pork to heat through on both sides. If liquid cooks off and rice isn’t done enough, add more boiling-hot stock or water in small additions; continue cooking until rice reaches desired doneness. Use a spoon to carefully dig into paella and check the bottom of the pan to make sure nothing is burning.12. When rice is perfectly cooked and liquid is fully absorbed, remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and parsley (if using).PER SERVING: 532 cal., 25g fat (5g sat. fat), 168mg chol., 780mg sodium, 32g carb., 3g fiber, 6g sugars, 43g pro.–Daniel GritzerWHY IT
WORKSMaking a sofrito in advance deepens the flavor of the paella without requiring long cooking of the aromatic vegetables over high heat on the grill.Lifting the paella pan higher midway through boiling the rice allows it to cook more gently and reduces the chances of the paella burning.Using a lighter stock or broth (or even water) cuts down on the protein content in the liquid, which reduces the chances of scorching on the bottom of the pan."
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Experience the essence of the Mediterranean with this vibrant Paella featuring succulent chicken thighs, savory pork, and plump shrimp, all nestled in a bed of aromatic saffron-infused rice. Perfect for family gatherings or cozy dinners with friends, this dish captures the essence of sunny Spain and brings bold flavors to your table.
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