Paella...again

We made another paella, this one was in honor of Bo's birthday.

Yes, you see him doing the cooking.  He is a great cook and he loves his Big Green Egg.

After he chose a recipe he changed it greatly.  Actually there were too many changes to note them all here but I will tell you about one change that didnt work:  He left out the chorizo to make it less oily and although it WAS less oily, it felt it was missing something.  Next time I'd keep the chorizo and lose the extra oil!

PAELLA ON THE GRILL

Adapted from: Barbecue University curriculum taught by Steven Raichlen

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 chorizo sausages

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ripe tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch dice

1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

3 cups Valencia style rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1 tablespoon hot water for 15  

minutes

5 to 6 cups hot chicken stock or water

12 littleneck clams, scrubbed

12 mussels, scrubbed

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 pound squid, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch rings (or more shrimp)

1/4 cup cooked green peas

You'll also need: wood for a fire; Tuscan grill or cast iron grill grate; a large paella pan.

Build a wood fire in a fire pit or large ranch grill. Place a Tuscan grill on top and place the paella pan on top. Add the olive oil and preheat. Add the chorizo and fry until browned on all sides, 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chorizo to a foil pan. When cool enough to handle, cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces. 


Season the chicken pieces on all sides with salt and pepper. Add them to the paella pan and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.Transfer the chicken to the foil pan.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pan.Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic half way through. Add the tomatoes and half the parsley and cook for 1 minute.

Add the rice and saute until the grains are shiny, 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the stock and saffron and bring to a boil.Simmer the rice, uncovered, for 15 minutes, adding stock as needed to keep them moist. Stir in the chorizo and chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the clams and mussels and cook for 3 minutes.Add the shrimp and squid. Cook the paella until the rice is tender, the clam and mussels shells have opened, and all the ingredients are completely cooked. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, sprinkle the paella with the cooked peas and 

remaining parsley. Serve at once.