La Dama Cooks... Gerard Nebesky's Paella

When it comes to Paella, Gerard Nebesky, "The Paella Guy" recipe is the way to go in my book. Easy to follow, you can go on line and watch any of his videos and be able to follow what he's doing with no problem. The ingredients he uses are all local and fresh. He uses ocean fresh seafood and at times dives to get it himself right before he starts to make the Paella! How cool is that! He is a master of California style Paella and this recipe is not only beautiful looking when put together, but delicious as well. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do and if you want to see him in action, here he is in Sonoma making one of his famous Paellas.

This recipe serves 10 and requires at least a 20" carbon steel paella pan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 -3 heads garlic, with cloves detached but not skinned
• 6 red peppers (cored, seeded and sliced) or 6 piquillo peppers (cored, seeded and sliced)
• 5 -6 lbs chicken, preferably legs and thighs with bone in
• 4 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 (16 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 6 -7 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 20 -25 saffron threads, crushed
• 2 -2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (Spanish)
• 4 -5 cups short-grain rice (uncooked)
• 2 (16 ounce) cans garbanzo beans
• 1 lb green beans (could also substitute slender asparagus or baby artichoke hearts)
• 20 -24 jumbo shrimp (16/20 count)
• 20 -24 clams (Manila) or 20 -24 mussels (New Zealand)
• 4 -5 lemons, cut into wedges, for garnish

Directions

1. 1
   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.)
2. 2
   Remove peppers and set aside.
3. 3
   Add chicken parts to the pan, turning to sear all sides.
4. 4
   When chicken is golden, add the onions and saute until translucent.
5. 5
   Add the tomatoes and the stock and reduce the sofrito base down for about a half hour.
6. 6
   Meanwhile, crush the saffron with the smoked paprika in a mortar and pestle and add it to the stock.
7. 7
   After a half hour, stir in the rice and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
8. 8
   Important: Do not stir or cover the rice; as the rice cooks, add the vegetables and the garbanzo beans.
9. 9
   During the final 10 minutes, poke the shrimp and shellfish into the rice mixture so that they will cook.
10. 10
    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.
11. 11
    Finish with squirts of lemon and leave lemon wedges in the paella pan or perched along the rim.

    
    

    
    

    
    

    Enjoy!