Shrimp and Chorizo Paella

Last Year's Post: Vietnamese Shrimp Baguette
Two Years Ago:   Coconut-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Rice

There's a gourmet cooking store in Minneapolis called Kitchen Window.  They used to have a holiday shopping event for their regular customers where they served food as everyone shopped.  One year they served this paella which had recently won a local food festival contest, and they had me at one bite.  What makes this paella so delicious is not only the combination of shrimp and chorizo, but the unusual addition of sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes.  The oil from both are used to provide additional flavor to the rice.  It's actually the best paella I've ever tasted, and it's not that hard to make at home.

Just note that if you want to have it for a party you need to invest in a paella pan large enough to hold all the ingredients.  If you cut the recipe in half, it'll fit in a large saute pan instead.  You can use the paella pan either on your cook-top or grill and it's great fun at a party.  If you really want to go all out and impress a bigger group, you can sometimes find a really giant paella pan to rent.

The only caution here is to be sure to understand the difference between Spanish and Mexican chorizo.  Mexican chorizo is a fresh bulk sausage; Spanish chorizo is a dry-cured sausage much like pepperoni.  You want Spanish chorizo for this dish.

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Shrimp and Chorizo Paella

Serves 8

Note: if the recipe is cut in half it may be prepared in a large sauté pan.

1 (7 oz) jar grilled artichoke hearts packed in oil.  

1 (3 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

1 lb extra-large shrimp

1 large onion, medium dice

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz Spanish hot chorizo (dry cured), paper removed and thinly sliced

2 cups paella rice

4 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon Spanish paprika (pimento) – hot, sweet or mixed

1 teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon saffron

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Special equipment:  8-person paella pan

Drain the artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes, reserving the oil from each jar separately.  Coarsely chop the tomatoes to make approximately one cup.

Add turmeric, saffron, pimento, oregano and a small amount of salt and pepper to the chicken stock and set aside.

To prepare the shrimp, peel and devein, then remove the tail segment.  Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise (along the curve).

Add ¼ cup reserved artichoke oil and ¼ cup reserved tomato oil to the paella pan over medium heat. add the shrimp and sauté for about 1-2 minutes per side until curled, opaque, and almost cooked through.  Remove and set aside.

To the same pan, add the onion and sauté until transparent, then add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.  Add the chorizo and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the rice and sauté for 5 minutes.

Pour in the stock that has been combined with the spices along with the sun-dried tomatoes.  Stir once, but do not stir any more.  (This is important to build up the bottom crust which is signature to paella.)

Cook for 15 minutes, then add the artichokes and shrimp, stirring lightly into the surface.  Avoid scraping the bottom of the pan.

Cook for 5-10 more minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.  Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.  Be sure to serve each person some of the crust from the bottom of the pan.

Spanish Asparagus Revuelto

Last Year's Post:  Spaghetti with Chicken, Herbs and Cherry Tomatoes
Two Years Ago:   Pasta Primavera

Revuelto is a Spanish term that basically means "scrambled eggs with stuff added" but sounds so much more exotic.  This would be a perfect spring dish when local asparagus first appears in the markets, and it would be an ideal brunch entree (Mother's Day!) or light spring dinner.  I was inspired by the fabulous fresh asparagus I found this week.

It's fast and easy but much more interesting than boring old scrambled eggs with the addition of bits of chorizo, that beautiful asparagus, smoked paprika and a little saffron sour cream on the side.  Add some grilled Ciabatta toast and you have a pretty special meal.

This recipe calls for Spanish chorizo, not Mexican.  Spanish chorizo is a dry cured sausage that looks a lot like pepperoni.

 Mexican chorizo is raw ground pork mixed with spices that looks a lot like ground Italian sausage and normally doesn't come in casings.  Speaking of casings, Spanish chorizo has a thin paper covering that you might not notice at first but that needs to be removed before cooking.  It's easiest to remove before you start slicing or chopping.

Make a special meal this spring to celebrate asparagus!

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Spanish Asparagus Revuelto

Serves 4

½ cup sour cream

Pinch of saffron

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ teaspoon minced garlic plus one large garlic clove

8 slices Ciabatta bread

2 ounces diced Spanish chorizo

1 bunch thin asparagus, cut into 1-2” lengths

6 green onions, sliced

8 large eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley

Mix the sour cream with the saffron and refrigerate while you prep and cook the remaining ingredients to allow the saffron to bloom.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Brush the bread slices with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and grill, turning once, until crisp with nice grill marks.  Remove from heat and immediately rub each piece with the large garlic clove.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then add the chorizo and fry lightly.  Add the asparagus and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes (depending on the size of the asparagus pieces).  Add the green onions and minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. 

Season the eggs with salt, pepper and paprika, whisking to combine, then add to the pan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, just until soft and creamy.  Divide between shallow bowls, topping with parsley. 

Stir the sour cream again and add a dollop on the side of each serving of eggs.  Add two toast pieces to each bowl and serve.

Arroz Con Pollo

Last Year's Post: Spicy Homemade Peanut Butter
Two Years Ago:  Gingered Turkey and Spinach Salad

Arroz Con Pollo (air-oz cohn poy-oh) is a traditional dish from Latin America and the Caribbean.  The translation from Spanish is "chicken with rice" but that's not nearly as fun to say.  Although there are many variations, chicken, rice, saffron, tomatoes and olives are standard.  This particular recipe also has peas and I switched out bone-in skin-on chicken pieces in favor of boneless skinless chicken thighs, which are healthier and easier to eat.

The taste reminds me somewhat of paella because both dishes have rice and saffron, but paella traditionally is seafood-based.  Another difference is the addition of the citrus juices used to marinate the chicken, a technique common in Latin America.  Although I don't consider this dish to be particularly fancy, it's very flavorful and a departure from your everyday chicken recipes, plus the fragrance from the saffron is wonderful.

It's not at all difficult but including the marinating time, this dish takes a little over two hours to prepare so if you need to have dinner on the table fast after work you might want to either make this in advance or plan to serve it on a weekend.  It reheats perfectly by the way, and leftovers make great work lunches. I love having leftovers for lunch - they're usually much healthier and more interesting than whatever you'll find in your cafeteria or the nearest fast food place, plus it's a lot cheaper.

click here for a printable recipe

Arroz Con Pollo

Serves 6-8

For chicken
3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For rice
1 lb onions, chopped (2 1/2 cups)
2 green bell peppers, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 (14- to 15-oz) can diced tomatoes, including juice
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (12 fl oz)
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups long-grain white rice (3/4 lb)
1 cup frozen baby peas (not thawed; 5 oz)
1/2 cup small or medium pimiento-stuffed green olives (2 oz), halved crosswise
1/4 cup drained chopped bottled pimientos (2 oz), rinsed

Prepare chicken:

Purée garlic, orange juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. Put chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour purée over them, turning to coat. Marinate chicken, covered and chilled, turning occasionally, 1 hour.  Transfer chicken, letting excess marinade drip back into bowl, to paper towels, then pat dry. Reserve marinade.  Heat oil and butter in 6- to 7-quart pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken as browned to a plate, reserving fat in pot.

Prepare rice and bake arroz con pollo:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F.

Sauté onions, bell peppers, and garlic in fat in pot over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits from chicken, until vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

While vegetables cook, heat saffron in a dry small skillet over low heat, shaking skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.

Add cumin and salt to vegetables and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in saffron mixture, bay leaf, tomatoes (including juice), broth, water, and reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Add all chicken pieces and gently simmer, covered, over low heat 10 minutes. Stir in rice, then return to a simmer. Cover pot tightly, then transfer to oven and bake until rice is tender and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Scatter peas, olives, and pimientos over rice and chicken (do not stir) and let stand, pot covered with a kitchen towel, until peas are heated through and any remaining liquid is absorbed by rice, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Pinchos Morunos

Last Year's Post: Gazpacho
Two Years Ago:  Pork with Thai Peanut Sauce

Color is Important
I grew up in an era where mothers regarded cooking as a necessity and their primary goal was to get food on the table that their family would eat.  Much of that food was beige.  Presentation and garnish were not concepts most moms thought about.  But times have changed, and cooking is now a conscious choice rather than a necessity since there are so many prepared foods and casual restaurants that are available.  There are many reasons to make the choice to cook - including good health, nutrition, dietary needs, or just plain fun - but as long as you made the effort to cook your food, why not make it look pretty?

Color plays a big part in making food pretty, which is why I chose multi-colored mini-peppers for this dish.  I could have used one big red pepper which would have added some color, but the multi-colored peppers are even better.

I've posted recipes in the past that were relatively colorless (Italian Sausage and Wild Mushroom Risotto ) because they are just that good, but it's a lot more impressive when they have all kinds of vibrant colors ( Seafood Cobb Salad ).  In particular, meat tends to be fairly brown so think about livening it up with a colorful sauce, relish, or accompanying vegetables.  Even a fresh parsley garnish on top of soup or rice helps to add color.  I once read about a chef who said he garnishes every meal he makes even if it's just for himself alone, because he felt it made that much difference to the overall eating experience.

Pinchos Morunos is Spanish in origin and is commonly found in tapas bars.  This particular recipe version converts it into a main dish by adding onion and peppers, but the pork by itself on small skewers would be a classic addition to a tapas party served with just a drizzle of lemon olive oil.  What makes it Spanish is the combination of spices on the pork, in particular the saffron.  I love the distinctive taste of saffron.  The pork is spiced but not very spicy in terms of heat, and it's what makes this dish special.  The spice mix colors the pork as it marinates before grilling.

I decided to halve the small peppers so they would fit better on the skewers plus it made them easier to seed, but I decided to leave the stems on for presentation and color.

I think I've mentioned somewhere previously that it's a good idea to separate your meats and vegetables on different skewers because they have different cook times.  If you alternate everything on each skewer your cook times become a compromise between ingredients, although for some reason that's the way skewers are most often shown.  In this case the meat was going to cook faster than the vegetables but the peppers and onions needed about the same amount of time.

One last note - although the recipe calls for marinating the meat for a few hours, it's very flexible.  I've grilled it without any marinating time at all, or you could let it marinate overnight so don't let that stop you from using this as a weeknight meal.  Served with rice or couscous, it's a fast, delicious and very healthy meal.

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Pinchos Morunos

Serves 4

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1” cubes

1 red onion, cut into 6 wedges

8 multi-colored mini-peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded

8 (12”) wooden skewers

Cooking spray

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a zip top bag and toss to distribute spices.  Add the pork tenderloin cubes and toss to coat evenly.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Soak skewers in a water for 30 minutes prior to grilling to prevent burning.

Prepare a grill for direct cooking over medium heat. 

Separate each onion wedge into two pieces.  Thread meat pieces on four skewers; alternate onion and pepper pieces on the other four.

Grill over medium heat for 5 minutes per side for the meat, and 6 minutes per side for the vegetables, flipping once.

Venetian Shrimp and Scallops

Last Year's Post: Chicken Salad with Fruits and Peppadews

This dish has a tomato-saffron sauce that is absolutely delicious with the tender scallops and shrimp.  (Be sure to serve it with lots of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.)  It's very light, fresh and healthy with fragrant lemon zest and fresh basil, making it a perfect spring or summer seafood dinner. I can usually pretty well envision how a dish will taste just from reading the recipe, but I must say this one surprised me by just how insanely good it was the first time I made it.  It's become a regular repeater at our house, which only happens to the very best recipes since we like to try new ones so often.  If you like seafood you really should try it.

Saffron is a key ingredient in the flavor profile and the recipe won't be the same without it (ditto the lemon and fresh basil).  Crumble the saffron threads as you put them in the sauce for more flavor and more even distribution.  Someone gave me a teeny-tiny mortar and pestle for that very purpose several years ago.  I think it's hilarious because it's so small but I must admit it works great.  I've never seen them in any store and have no idea where it came from.  Don't you just love it?

I typically cut the scallops in half horizontally for this recipe, for a couple of reasons.  First of all, scallops should not be over-cooked or they get tough.  Since sea scallops are often really big, it's harder to be sure they're cooked all the way through without over-cooking them.  Cutting them in half results in a faster cook time, plus they're easier to eat and you have more of them in the dish.  I think five or six thinner scallops look much more attractive and plentiful (along with the shrimp) then two or three giant ones.  Searing them gives an attractive color, a nice caramelized crust, and additional flavor.

One thought about the diced tomatoes - I almost always use fire-roasted tomatoes because I think it adds a little more flavor and I like the little black flecks.  It's strictly a personal preference, but I would suggest checking the sodium content of whatever brand you choose because canned tomato products are notoriously high in sodium.  Same thing for the chicken broth.

This is a fast and easy meal to prepare so it's perfect for any night of the week, although I think it's certainly impressive enough to serve to company.

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Venetian Shrimp and Scallops
Serves 4

¾ lb sea scallops, cut in half horizontally

¼ cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large shallot, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice

¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

¾ lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

12 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

1 lemon, zested

Hot crusty bread

Lightly coat the sea scallops in the seasoned flour.  Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and butter.  When the butter has melted, add the scallops and brown for 1 minute on each side.  Remove.

Add a little more olive oil to the pan if necessary, then add the garlic, shallots, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Reduce heat and sauté 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add wine to the pan and scrape up any pan drippings.  Reduce wine 1 minute, then add chicken broth, tomatoes with their juice, and crumbled saffron.  When liquids come to a bubble, add shrimp and cook 3 minutes.  Return scallops to the pan and cook everything together for 2 minutes longer.  Transfer shrimp, scallops and sauce to individual shallow bowls and top with basil and lemon zest.

Pass with bread for mopping up the juices.

Cuban Paella

Are you planning a get-together in the next few weeks?  Paella is a great choice for entertaining because it's impressive, it's delicious, it makes a lot, and it's easy - you just keep sticking stuff in the pan until it's all done.  The Lawyer and I served paella for a New Year's Eve party last year, and our friends Ron and Susie served it when they had us over for dinner a few weeks ago.  (Ron and Susie recently drove from Minnesota to California by way of Florida. Go figure.)

There are as many variations of paella as there are towns and regions in Spain, Central and South America but they all have a few ingredients in common.  Paella (pronounced pie-ay-uh) starts with arborio rice and a number of spices including saffron.  Most paellas also contain some type(s) of shellfish with shrimp being the most common, but I've seen paella recipes that also contain mussels, clams and even lobster tails.  Paellas often include chorizo, a spicy Spanish sausage (more about chorizo further on), and some paellas contain chicken.  This is a Cuban Paella version that contains shrimp, chicken and chorizo.  The spice paste also includes lime juice and a splash of rum. 

Basically paella is a great one pot meal and you can change the ingredients to suit your taste. For example, I'm not fond of mussels (they taste like ball bearings coated in rubber bands) so you won't see them here.

Lets talk about a couple of the classic paella ingredients.  First, the rice - it's important to use arborio rice for paella rather than a different rice variety.  Why?  Because arborio rice has a high starch content which gives creaminess to the sauce and it also retains a firm center when cooked which gives it a nice chewy texture.  Arborio also is the classic rice of choice for risottos in addition to paellas.

Now lets talk about chorizo.  Chorizo is a spicy sausage common to Mexican and Spanish cuisines.  But there's a hitch - there are two distinctly different varieties of chorizo.  Spanish chorizo is a hard (cured) sausage that is long and thin, similar to pepperoni.  It comes with a paper casing that needs to be removed before slicing. It's moderately spicy but can also be purchased in the "caliente" version (hot) if you can find it.  Spanish chorizo can be found in the deli department of upscale grocers or in gourmet stores.

Mexican Chorizo is a soft uncooked sausage that typically comes in a tube or "chub" as it's known in the food industry (did you know I used to work for Pillsbury?).  It's raw and must be cooked before eating.  You crumble it as it cooks, very similar to Italian sausage. Mexican chorizo can be found in the meat department of most grocers.  You don't use Mexican chorizo for paella but it'll be featured in a future blog post for chorizo quiche with roasted pepper sauce.

OK, now lets talk about spices.  Paella isn't paella without the distinctive taste of saffron.  Yes, saffron is expensive but you only use a tiny bit.  This recipe also includes your choice of Spanish or Hungarian paprika.  Spanish paprika has a smoky flavor which I love while Hungarian is more mild (unless you buy the hot version).  If you want to use hot Hungarian paprika I would suggest using it half and half with regular paprika the first time you make it to make sure the paella doesn't get to spicy for your taste. 

Speaking of spices, do you date yours?  I don't mean as in taking them to the movies, I mean sticking a little label on them showing the month and year you bought them.  If you don't, how do you know how fresh they are?  General rule of thumb is that the shelf life of ground spices and herbs is 6 months, and whole spices can be kept for 12 months.  I always check the spices I need for a recipe to see if I've exceeded the shelf life.  If it's only a month or two over I generally sniff the spice to see if it still has a strong aroma.  If not, or if it's longer than a month or two over the limit, toss the bottle and buy new.  And it doesn't work to use twice as much of an older spice, trust me.  Two times nothing still equals nothing.  That's why I always buy the smallest jar available of any spice, even if I use it frequently.

I highly recommend buying spices from Penzeys (www.penzeys.com) because they have the greatest variety and best prices.  You want paprika?  Great, they have four different kinds.  And don't even start on chili powders.  They have stores around the country (including 2 miles from my house, luckily) and they also do mail order if you don't happen to live near one.

You have a choice of artichokes or green beans in the recipe.  I made it this time with fresh green beans and really liked the fact that they stayed crisp and provided a textural contrast to the other ingredients.

Note that the chicken should marinate up to 16 hours for maximum flavor but you can skip that step if you only start reading the recipe an hour before you want to eat.


* * click here for a printable recipe version * *


Cuban Paella
Serves 8

Cuban Spice Paste:
¼ cup Spanish or Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons rum (optional)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ teaspoon ground oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil

2.5 lbs chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into approximate 1.5” chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
4 ounces Spanish chorizo, wrapping removed and thinly sliced
2 cups Arborio rice
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
¼ teaspoon saffron
2 tablespoons capers, drained
½ cup fire-roasted red bell peppers, cut into strips
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined but tails left on
2 cups frozen artichoke hearts or two cups green beans, fresh or frozen, cut into 2” pieces


In a medium bowl or ziptop bag, combine paprika, garlic, lime juice, optional rum, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and olive oil to make a paste. Toss in the chicken thigh chunks and coat well. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for up to 16 hours or proceed with the recipe if in a hurry.

Preheat the oven to 350d. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, leaving excess marinade in the bowl to add later. Brown on each side for 3-5 minutes per side, then remove. Cook the other half of the chicken in the same way and remove from the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the chorizo. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes and remove from the pan. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the rice and cook, stirring, until well coated with the onion mixture. Pour in the stock, tomatoes, saffron, and any remaining marinade. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the capers, cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and scatter the surface of the rice with the fire-roasted pepper, chorizo, shrimp, and artichokes or green beans.

Gently pat the ingredients into the top layer of rice, cover and bake for 10 additional minutes or until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed and the shrimp are opaque and pink. Stir together before serving.