Gerards Paella Recipes

THE ULTIMATE PAELLA

Steps:

• Combine the paprika and oregano in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix all over the chicken and marinate chicken for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Heat oil in a paella pan over medium-high heat. Saute the chorizo until browned, remove and reserve. Add chicken skin-side down and brown on all sides, turning with tongs. Add salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove from pan and reserve.
• In the same pan, make a sofrito by sauteing the onions, garlic, and parsley. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes on a medium heat. Then, add tomatoes and cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld. Fold in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains. Pour in water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Add chicken, chorizo, and saffron. Add the clams and shrimp, tucking them into the rice. The shrimp will take about 8 minutes to cook. Give the paella a good shake and let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, for about 15 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, when the rice is filling the pan, add the lobster tails. When the paella is cooked and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toast at the bottom, then it's perfect.
• Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with peas, parsley and lemon wedges.

PAELLA

Steps:

• Make the sofrito: In a heavy 12-inch skillet heat 3 tablespoons olive oil until hot, add the onions, and pepper strips and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring for 5 minutes more, until most of the liquid in the pan evaporates and the mixture is thick.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In the skillet heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderately high heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook it, turning. Add sausages and cook until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and deglaze pan with 1/2 cup dry white wine.
• About a 30 minutes before you plan to serve the paella, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a 14-inch paella pan or shallow casserole at least 14-inches in diameter, combine the sofrito, rice, and the saffron. Pour in 5 cups simmering stock and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and season with salt. Arrange the chicken, sausage, shrimp, clams, and mussels on top of the rice. Set the pan on the floor of the oven or the lowest shelf and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Scatter the peas at random over the whole and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and the grains are tender but not too soft. If necessary, add the remaining cup stock, if the rice needs to be more soft. Do not stir the paella once it goes in oven.
• Let paella stand at room temperature covered with a cloth for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with the lemons and parsley.

GERARD'S PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat the paella pan (or any large, flat bottomed saute pan) over medium-high heat, add olive oil and garlic and fry the peppers (Add more peppers if you want to serve some as an appetizer.)
• Remove peppers and set aside.
• Add chicken parts to the pan, turning to sear all sides.
• When chicken is golden, add the onions and saute until translucent.
• Add the tomatoes and the stock and reduce the sofrito base down for about a half hour.
• Meanwhile, crush the saffron with the smoked paprika in a mortar and pestle and add it to the stock.
• After a half hour, stir in the rice and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Important: Do not stir or cover the rice; as the rice cooks, add the vegetables and the garbanzo beans.
• During the final 10 minutes, poke the shrimp and shellfish into the rice mixture so that they will cook.
• You will know the dish is done when you can smell the smoky odor of the rice caramelizing on the bottom of the pan, and all the liquid is absorbed by the rice.
• Finish with squirts of lemon and leave lemon wedges in the paella pan or perched along the rim.

GERARD NEBESKY'S PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, or heat a paella pan on a grill over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, red bell pepper, and nora chile and sauté until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and scrape out onto a plate.
• Season the chicken thighs all over with salt. Put them in the skillet, skin side down, and brown thoroughly on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium and add the garlic cloves and onion; season with salt. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 12 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and cook until syrupy, 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Crush the paprika, saffron, and 1 teaspoon salt with a mortar and pestle, and stir into the sauce.
• Add the clams, cover, and remove them as they open, 5 to 10 minutes; set the clams aside. (Discard any that do not open.)
• Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Scatter the rice evenly in the pan, turning the chicken to let the rice fall to the bottom of the pan, but do not stir! Nestle the shrimp, mussels, green beans, and chickpeas into the liquid. Adjust the heat to maintain a brisk simmer.
• Turn the shrimp over to cook them through. Add the bell pepper mixture. Cook until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is caramelized on the bottom of the pan, 20 to 25 minutes. About 5 minutes before the rice is fully cooked, add the fish to the pan along with the cooked clams, lemon wedges, and parsley. If you need more liquid, add the reserved chickpea liquid.
• Let stand for 5 minutes. Then drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

PAELLA

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine olive oil, oregano, dry basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Place chicken and shrimp in another bowl; pour over marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Heat about 1 tablespoon marinade in frypan over medium heat. Remove chicken and drain; add to pan and cook until lightly brown.
• Remove from pan; set aside. Add sausage to pan; cook over medium heat until well browned.
• Add onions and green pepper to pan; raise heat to medium-high; cook until vegetables are soft. Stir in rice; brown slightly.
• Add broth, tomatoes, saffron, coriander, chicken and sausage; boil, cover, heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until rice is tender.
• Add peas and scallops; toss gently.
• Transfer Paella to large ovenproof 6-quart baking dish or paella pan.
• Drain shrimp; push into rice mixture along with clams.
• Bake, covered, in 350 degrees oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and clams open.
• Garnish with pimento strips, if desired.