RECIPE
This dish is one of those-use it all up recipes that is perfect for summer after indulging in too many thickly sliced fresh heirloom tomatoes. You know, when you have all the ends left over. Much like eating freshly baked bread a thick slice from the middle of the tomato tastes better and lays flatter for use. Unlike bread butts tomato butts are easier and less of a chore to use and they melt magically into a paella, alleviating the need to use canned tomatoes. Summertime is the perfect time to indulge in paella cooked on the grill. It takes a bit of time, but it it feels very summery to cook this dish and the loads of fresh tomatoes and herbs from the summer garden or farmers market make it even more so. The chorizo is a must and chicken and shrimp make a great trio. Take it a bit further even and add fresh halibut.
1 cup hot water
A pinch of saffron, plus a few threads extra
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
½ shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 fresh red chili, deseeded and chopped
2 teaspoons salt
½ pound chorizo (about 2 links, removed from casing)
½ pound chicken thighs, chopped bite size
1-pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 20-22 shrimp)
½ cup chopped parsley leaves
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
½ pound halibut, chopped in 2-inch squares
¼ sherry vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup basil pesto
2 cups chopped tomatoes (heirloom butts)
1 cup white wine
1 ½ cups Bomba, Arborio or short grain white or brown rice
2 cups water (2 ½ if you are using brown rice)
Maldon salt or Flake salt
Fresh basil, for garnish
Place the paella pan on the grill and add the olive oil. After a few seconds, add the garlic, onions, shallot, zest and chili and cook, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes or until the onions are a little less firm and turning translucent. Season with salt and add the chorizo. Stir and cook, making sure to break up the chorizo into small chinks as it cooks.
After a few minutes, add the chicken, continuing to stir and cook. You can shut the lid of the grill and allow it to heat up for a minute and then add the shrimp and continue to stir and cook a few more minutes. Add the parsley leaves and the smoked paprika and mix everything really well, continuing to stir. Shut the grill and allow it to heat up again.
When you open the grill, the shrimp should be turning red. Add the halibut, vinegar, lemon juice, pesto and tomatoes and gently stir. Close the grill again and let it cook for a few minutes; the tomatoes will begin to melt down into the other ingredients. Add the wine and the rice and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Stir and then shut the grill and allow to cook for about five-minute intervals, opening the grill and stirring in-between for a total of 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked al dente and the fish is falling apart. Serve with some freshly torn basil leaves strewn on top and a pinch of Summer Salt.
Use any combination of seafood and fish- whitefish, prawns, shrimp, mussels’ clams, or lobster, don’t forgot the chorizo but the chicken is optional. Chicken works in this to help flavor the broth as the dish is cooking, store bough stocks often too salty.
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