Variation on Spanish Paella
I love to make paella but I do take liberties with various variations of meats, seafood and vegetables, still keeping the integrity of this delicious and nutritious Spanish dish! Paella always calls for sausage, chicken and varied seafood but I like to add a healthy touch of organic vegetable to this traditional version. With this variation, I have incorporated left over bratwurst from our 4th of July grill, chicken drumsticks and jumbo shrimp along with okra, carrots, peppers and onion… I have used the traditional bomba or calasparra rice but decided to add some healthy wild rice, black and mahogany rices to the mixture to give the Paella more fiber.. The flavor combination is outstanding!!
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1cup bomba rice
1 cup wild, black,& mahogany rice blend
1 pkg chicken drumsticks or thighs
3-4 cooked sausage links, bratwurst Italian sausage, linguisa or chorizo
1/4 cup white wine
32 oz package unsalted chicken broth
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Dash of Aleppo pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Zest of one lemon
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, cut up
1 cup okra, cut up
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro, chopped as garnish
In a large skillet or paella pan heat the olive oil at medium high
add the onion and garlic and sauté
Add the chicken and brown on all sides
Add the rice mixture, stir until bomba rice is pearly in color
Add the wine and let it absorb into rice mixture
Add 1/3 of the broth, carrots, okra, bell pepper and sausage
Gently stir until broth is absorbed
Add the second 1/3 of broth
Gently stir until broth is absorbed
Add the remainder of the broth
Arrange grape tomatoes and shrimp on top of mixture
Cook through until broth is absorbed and shrimp us cooked through
Top with chopped cilantro
Serve the Paella in the same pan
A Sauvignon Blanc or light white Spanish wine is perfect!!!