Quick Paella

Paella is a special dish for me. It's a dish that reminds me of my grandmother (though she would make arroz con pollo more than this, but that's neither here nor there) and it's a dish I make and eat on special occasions.

When I first started making this myself, I'll admit that I was hesitant to make the full-blown version. I love eating mussels and clams, but I'm not a fan of cooking them, for some strange reason. They're not hard, but it's just not my thing to cook. Then there's the issue of saffron. I love the way saffron tastes, but I hate the way it kills my wallet. Saffron is one of those weird spices that costs so.much.money, but yet you only use a little bit at a time. I don't make enough dishes that have saffron in it (maybe I should start?) so it doesn't make much sense to buy a bottle of it.

I don't remember how I found this recipe, but I do remember thinking it looked easy enough and got good reviews. I made it for myself and loved it, remembering that I needed to make it more often. It took some shortcuts, but it was totally worth it. I am also not ashamed to admit that I actually bought a paella pan with which to make this. Thanks, Amazon.

This has some good memories for me too. This paella was the first dish I ever made for Adam, and though I totally wasn't paying attention that day and got unpeeled shrimp so we had to peel it as we ate it, it still makes both of us smile. I also made it for his birthday last year, and for both of our families as they met for the first time. It's something that makes it seem like you spent a lot of time preparing it, but instead it's so simple you can throw it together, let it cook, and have a glass of wine with people while you just wait. It's also great for hot summer days; it's a hot dish, but it feels very light and summery. You can also mix things up: add some chicken if you want, or onions or some other vegetable. This time around I added scallops in addition to the shrimp. Perfection. Please make sure you make this quickly. You're welcome.

Quick Paella (recipe from Epicurious.com)
3/4 lb. cooked chorizo, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. saffron rice (Stop and Shop sells it in 9 oz. packets, and I've seen it in Whole Foods, boxed)
1 package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained (I use jarred marinated artichokes-I like the way they taste better in this dish. Feel free to use what makes sense to you)
1 8 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
2 cups chicken or fish broth, or wine
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled
1 c. frozen peas, defrosted (you can also use fresh-pop them in with the rice if you do)


In a large pan or a paella pan, brown the sausage in the oil until crispy, about 5 minutes.
Add the rice, artichoke hearts, peppers, broth or wine, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the shrimp and peas. Cover and continue cooking until the shrimp are opaque, 5 to 7 minutes.