I like to cook. And sometimes cooking means throwing together a lot of different ingredients into a pan and making sense of the resulting flavors. Paella is like a Spanish buddae jjigae – a blend of seafood and vegetables over tomato-soaked yellow rice. There is more preparation involved though since you cook all the components separately and then combine with the rice at the very end. Buddae jjigae requires much less coordination (just throw everything in the pot!) Paella is one of the world’s most well-known rice dishes and traditionally cooked in a paellera over an outdoor fire. Of course, I had neither, so my wok over the kitchen stove worked just as well.
LJ Bistro is open once a week and features meals that I slave over the stove for the boyfriend. =) As I always say, eating is more about the experience and the people you share it with; plus, it forces me to try new recipes and hone my cooking skills. ;) (And to see the bf get fat…)
The recipe I followed was inspired by Mediterrasian.com. The recipe serves 4.
This dish also features two Goya products I received as a member of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. Delicious!
Ingredients:
12 mussels
6 scallops
16 large shrimps
4 squid tubes
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
Fresh parsley
4 cloves of garlic
Frozen green peas
Can of pureed tomatoes
Chicken stock
Goya extra virgin olive oil
1 box Goya yellow rice (Spanish style)
Lemon
Instructions:
1) Finely chop 1 onion, 1 red pepper, and 1 green pepper.
2) Mince 4 cloves of garlic and finely chop 2 tablespoons of fresh flat-leaf parsley.
3) Peel and devein 16 large raw shrimps (I left the tails on for decorative purposes), cut 4 squid tubes into rings, and scrub and debeard 12 fresh mussels. Rinse the scallops and pat dry. Cover and refrigerate.
4) Sofrito is a Spanish tomato and onion sauce which is used as a flavor base for a variety of dishes, including paella. To make the sofrito, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat and cook the chopped onion, parsley and 3 of the chopped garlic cloves for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pureed tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes. Set aside.5) While the sofrito is cooking, place the mussels in a saucepan with half a cup of simmering water. Cover and steam on a low heat for 5 minutes. Remove mussels and set aside, discarding any that haven’t opened.
{ 0 comments }
I've been told that a certain smile breaks across my face whenever the subject of food is brought up, a smile that radiates the purest forms of delight and happiness. Food transcends beyond the smell and taste of what's presented in front of me; it's an experience to be enjoyed, indulged, shared with those I love. Working and living in NYC continually opens culinary doors, from hole-in-the-walls to upscale (even stuffy) dining. I never take any morsel of food for granted, and I'm often THAT girl at the table found licking her plate at the end of the meal.
