NOT QUITE PAELLA

This is a dish which evolved from a family recipe I learned from my mother-in-law who got many of her recipes from my father-in-law's family. They were Italian but had a lot of Spanish influence from friends in their Tampa neighborhood. 

This is a great dish to serve for a crowd since you can prepare most of it in advance - if you omit the shrimp you can do the entire thing in advance! 

Because all of the meats are cut bite-sized you don't need a knife to eat it!

NOT QUITE PAELLA Ingredients: 

¼ cup olive oil 
½ pound boneless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces
½ pound sweet or hot Italian sausage cut into 1" pieces 
½ pound shrimp 1 medium green pepper cut into 1" squares 
1 medium red pepper cut into 1" squares 
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped 
1 small can tomatoes, chopped - reserve juice 
¼ teaspoon saffron 
2 bay leaves 
salt and pepper to taste 
2 cups Uncle Ben's rice 
3 cups hot chicken stock 

1. Soak saffron threads in chicken stock. 
2. In a large sauté pan, heat oil, brown chicken, and sausage in separate batches, remove and set aside.
3. Cook onion, 2 cloves of garlic and peppers till soft.
4. Add saffron, tomatoes and juice, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. 
5. Add rice and stir thoroughly. Add hot chicken stock, chicken and sausage, stir well. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is almost cooked. 
6. Sauté shrimp with remaining clove of garlic till almost cooked then add to rice mixture for final few minutes of cooking. 

Dish may be prepared a day ahead up to step #6. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Reheat over low heat, sauté shrimp with garlic and add to rice mixture. 

You may vary the ingredients to suit your taste. For example: use chorizo instead of Italian sausage, add clams, mussels, lobster. Make it vegetarian by adding asparagus, artichoke hearts, carrots, peas, etc. and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock or even water. You may also use Arborio or any other rice you may prefer.

Watch the video demonstration:

COMMENTS:  

Betty,

Made your "not quite paella" today and it was a big hit.

It was really quite good.

Easy to make.

We have enjoyed all of your recipes.

Arroz con Carne (Yellow Rice with Meat)

Arroz con Carne - literally rice with meat.  This is a variation of a classical Spanish dish - Arroz con Pollo - Rice with Chicken.  Not to be confused with an Americanized dish called Spanish Rice.

My father-in-law grew up in Ybor City in Tampa, Florida, a community comprised mainly of Spanish and Italian families so it was natural that each would adopt some of the dishes of the others.  This is a dish has been a family staple for many years.  It's simple, tasty, economical, relatively low calorie, and freezes well. 

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, browned and reserved
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper cut in pieces - about 1" square
1 green pepper cut in pieces - about 1" square
1 plump clove garlic, grated, finely chopped or put through a garlic press
1 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups Uncle Ben's rice (the original variety)
large pinch of saffron or Sazon Goya or Vigo flavoring for Arroz con Pollo
2 cups hot homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups defrosted green peas
salt and pepper

1. Mix the saffron with the chicken stock.
2. In a large saute pan with a tight fitting cover, saute the onion for 3 or 4 minutes until softened.
3. Add the peppers and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and stir thoroughly to combine.
5. Add the tomatoes and stir again.
6. Add the rice and stir to coat - if using Sazon Goya or Vigo seasoning, add at this point.
7. Add the ground beef and mix well.
8. Add the chicken stock and water and stir to combine.
9. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
10. Check to see if rice has absorbed all of the liquid and is tender.  If necessary, add up to an additional 1/2 cup water and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
11. Add the peas, stir and leave off the heat for a few minutes.

Serve with a tomato and onion salad tossed with a little olive oil and red wine vinegar and some crusty bread.

Please watch my video demonstration:

Comments: 

Thanks, sounds like a great tasting dish. In Ybor City and especially Miami, we grew up eating something similar to this with more of a Cuban flavor to it called Arroz con Picadillo. Similar but different in that the heavily flavored ground beef is served on top of the arroz with onions, capers and peppers and other spices. Congrats to the chef.   Tom V.