Paella
Ingredients
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
6 sprigs rosemary, or ½ tsp. dried rosemary leaves
Kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp crumbled thread saffron
Half of a 2 ½-to 3- pound chicken
Half of a 2-to 2 ½- pound rabbit
(If you use only chicken or rabbit instead of both, just double the amount)
8 Tbl olive oil
2 medium frying (Italian) peppers or 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
½ lb green beans, ends snapped off, and cut in half
½ lb snap peas or snow peas, strings removed
4 frozen artichoke hearts, cut in quarters
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2 Tbl minced parsley
1 tsp paprika
3 cups Arborio short-grain rice
Directions
Heat broth, rosemary, salt, saffron, and water in a covered pot over the lowest heat for 20 minutes. Remove rosemary.
Cut the chicken wings in 2 parts, discarding the tip. Chop off the bony end of the leg. Divide the rest of the chicken into quarters, then cut with kitchen shears into 2-inch pieces. Do the same with the rabbit. Sprinkle all over with salt. Put aside a few snap peas for garnish.
Keep the broth over the lowest heat. Preheat the oven to 400°F for gas oven, 450°F for electric.
Heat the oil in a paella pan measuring 17-18 inches at its widest point ( or in a shallow casserole of the similar size), over 2 burners if necessary. Sauté the chicken and rabbit over high heat until brown (it should not be fully cooked), about 5 minutes, turning once. Add the green peppers, onions, and garlic, and cook until slightly softened, keeping the heat high. Stir in the green beans, snap peas, and artichokes, and cook on high for about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and parsley. Cook 1 minute, then mix in the paprika.
Stir in the rice and coat well with the pan mixture. Pour in the hot broth and bring to a boil. Taste for salt and continue to boil for about 5 minutes, stirring and rotating the pan occasionally, until the rice is no longer soupy but enough liquid remains to continue cooking the rice, about 5 minutes.
Arrange the reserved snap peas over the rice and transfer to the oven. Cook, uncovered, until the rice is almost al dente, 10-12 minutes in a gas oven, 15-20 minutes electric.
Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil and let sit 5-10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste.
Recipe taken from
Paella! by Penelope Casas
(p. 82-83)
