Jeane Kirkpatrick's Paella
serves 6-8
John Kirkpatrick has fond memories of the hours his mother spent in the kitchen making paella two or three times a year. For this recipe, she used a pan he says must have measured 2 1/2 to 3 feet wide, but the dish can be made in a roasting pan as well.
Read more about this recipe in the Washington Post.
6 hot Italian sausage links (1 pound)
8 ounces lean pork, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 (1 1/2 pounds) skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (may substitute other chicken parts)
2 1/2 ounces salt pork, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
2 medium onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 4 cups)
1 large red bell pepper cored, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced, plus 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 cups)
Olive oil (at least 1/4 cup)
2 cups long-grain rice
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 dash hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen artichoke hearts
8 ounces large, shell-on shrimp, deveined
1 pound cleaned and trimmed squid, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds shell-on lobster tails, cut into 2-inch pieces
12 littleneck clams (and/or mussels)
1/3 cup dry white wine
prep: 45 minutes
total: 2 hours
paella pan, roasting pan, or ovenproof skillet
scrub brush
baking sheet
paper towels
saucepan
large skillet
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and place near the stove.
2. In a large paella pan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until it has browned and almost cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and brown the lean pork, chicken and salt pork, working in batches, if necessary, and stirring occasionally; transfer each batch to drain on the paper towels. This should take about 35 minutes. Cut the browned sausages into 1/2-inch rounds.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, bell pepper, minced garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes to the drippings in the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes or until the onions and bell pepper are tender. Add a tablespoon of oil, if necessary, to keep the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. In a separate large skillet over medium heat, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil until it is almost smoking. Add the rice, stirring until it is well coated. Cook for about 5 minutes, just until golden. Set aside.
(If you wish to cook the paella in the oven, at this point, position an oven rack at the lowest setting and preheat to 425F.)
5. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, saffron, hot pepper sauce, turmeric and cumin, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then immediately add to the rice mixture, stirring gently to combine. Transfer the sauce-rice mixture to the paella pan and add the sausage, pork and chicken pieces to the pan. Gently fold in the peas, artichoke hearts, shrimp, squid and lobster. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 30 minutes over medium heat, or cover in the same manner and bake for about 45 minutes. (Check doneness after 20 minutes for either cooking method.) When the paella is done, the rice should be tender but not mushy, and the seafood should be cooked through. Set aside and cover loosely to keep warm.
6. Scrub and clean the clams and/or mussels. Place in an ovenproof pan and add the white wine and crushed garlic, stirring to combine. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes or until the shells open up; discard any that have not opened. Arrange around the sides of the paella. Serve from the pan or skillet at the table.
