Making Paella

Make a run to your local "specialty" market...you'll need a few  items that your local supermarket may not carry.  Spanish Chorizo, Smoked Pimenton (a special smoked paprika-a must for paella), arborio or bomba rice, and saffron. The remaining items you can pick up at your local supermarket or you may already have most of them in your pantry!
You'll need a large round heavy flat bottomed pan. There are Paella pans on the market but I have never used one. Here is a link to La Tienda that sells all things Paella and more: http://www.tienda.com/

There are many recipes out there for Paella. We have made Paella many times and this recipe has
evolved as our very own Paella recipe over the the years.

Paella

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 lb prawns - if they are already cooked you will not need to pre-saute per recipe. I usually buy prawns uncooked.

2 links Spanish Chorizo sliced into 1/4 inch slices
(Be sure to use Spanish chorizo. It has the shape and firm texture of salami but the links are smaller and darker in color)

1 large onion - diced
1 green bell pepper - diced

1/2 cup fresh finely chopped parsley

1 cup frozen peas

Olive oil

1 teaspoon saffron threads

1 1/2 tablespoons smoked (paprika) pimenton

1 20 oz can diced tomatoes - don't drain

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup white wine

5 1/2 cups-  Swanson's chicken broth

2 cups arborio or bomba rice

1 tablespoon salt (I use Maldon sea salt for Paella.  Beware however, once you taste Maldon you'll be spoiled...and may never go back to Morton's)

1-2 lemons to serve with and or garnish

salt & pepper

I always chop and measure out all the ingredients first! It makes the process of making the paella more fun once you start adding ingredients. When everything's prepped and  ready you can focus on following the recipe, and enjoy that glass of wine as you follow the steps!

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large pan - saute prawns over medium heat - 3 minutes per side and set
aside on a plate.

To large pan add 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute the chicken breast till brown and set aside on plate.

Into the large pan toss in the chopped onion and bell pepper and lower the heat to medium-low and saute for 8 minutes.
In a small saute pan saute the chorizo slices for a few minutes. Your going to add half the chorizo to the pan with the onions and pepper now and half later. It's not the end of the world if you add it all now-we just like to add the 2nd half of the chorizo later so the chorizo on top is still crisp and spicy when we serve it.

Next, to the large pan, add in the can of diced tomatoes, 1 tsp saffron threads, 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked pimenton and  2 bay leaves. Stir and then simmer all together for 5 minutes.

Next, add 1/2 cup white wine and simmer 2 minutes. Sometimes if I'm feeling generous to the paella I'll make that 3/4 cup. If not, more wine for me!

Next, stir in the 5 1/2 cups chicken stock and 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil. .
Once the liquid reaches a boil, stir in your 2 cups rice, and then quickly lower the heat to a nice
simmer (low)

Stir in the 1 cup peas, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, and gently stir.
Cut the sauteed chicken into 1 inch pieces and add chicken to the pan. Gently stir.
Set the remaining sliced chorizo on top.
Last, carefully arrange your prawns on top. No more stirring! Taste for seasoning at this point and sprinkle in more S&P if needed.
Let this all simmer away for 30-45 minutes. (you want it gently simmering away on a low heat) When the liquid is absorbed and you hear a "crackling" at the bottom of the pan when the paella is ready. Gently lift with a spatula to see if the liquid is absorbed from time to time. You don't want to burn the rice at the bottom of the pan but you definitely want it to brown a little! The ideal paella has a toasted rice bottom called socarrat. 

When the paella is ready, remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes. This makes lifting the paella from the pan a little easier.
Serve with quartered lemons and a loaf of good bread and your favorite wine! Enjoy!

This is great the next day heated up in the pan with a little olive oil. Add a little liquid to the pan and warm it up! I find the paella "crackles" up nicely the next day when you heat it up!

Crockpot Apple Butter

I came across a recipe last week for apple butter and it looked so easy so I had to try it. It turned out really delicious and the house smelled wonderful for the 24 hours that it simmered away in my crockpot.

Crockpot Apple Butter
7 cups applesauce (use a good quality commercial kind that is unsweetened) I used Tree Top Organic unsweetened from Costco.
2 cups apple cider (I used a bottle of Knudsen's Cider & Spice)
1 1/2 cups honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Mix all the ingredients in a crockpot, cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally for 15-16 hours or until the mixture is a deep brown and a thick consistency. Pack into 4 hot pint jars and process in a hot-water bath for 10 minutes counting the time after the jars have been immersed and the water comes to a rolling boil.
OR: Cool and pack into clean freezer friendly jars and freeze! When you are ready for another jar remove  from the freezer and defrost in the refridgerator. I used Ball canning jars that can go into the freezer! Of course I kept one out to enjoy right now! The recipe says it only makes 4 pints but I got 5  eight ounce jars from the recipe.

After 15 hours my apple butter was brown but not thick enough so I raised the temperature to high and kept a close watch on it - stirring occasionally until the apple butter was condensed enough to stay mounded on a spoon and the consistency that looked right to me! My apple butter took about 24 hours to cook in my crockpot. Crockpot temps might vary a little so yours could be ready in more or less time. Removing the lid during the final hours of cooking speeds up the condensing process considerably.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Tomatoes are in abundance this time of year and I've made salsa several times already for tacos and nachos! I roughly chop 8-10 tomatoes and toss them in a large bowl, then add 1 large chopped onion and chopped chillies with the seeds removed, and some chopped fresh cilantro. Add to the bowl: the juice of two limes and about a teaspoon of salt. I use Maldon, a sea salt that I like so much I rarely use anything else. I like my salsa medium hot so I add two milder chillies and usually one jabanero (a chili that is on the hotter side) If you like hotter - then you'll want to spice it up by adding more. Next I toss the ingredients together in the big bowl. I pulse the ingredients in my food processor until the mixture is blended and the consistency I like (still a little chunky). Just be careful not to over process or you'll end up with a spicy tomato juice. At this point I strain some of the liquid out as summer tomatoes are pretty juicy! Save the strained tomato juice! If you are making tacos you can add it to your ground meat instead of water when you're adding your taco seasoning! I freeze the rest of the strained juice in small freezer containers to have on hand for another day! It would also make some excellent Bloody Mary's I would think!

French Onion Soup

We made French Onion Soup last week. I am into making soup since we had lunch at Soop (on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley) a few weeks ago! You can eat there or take soup home for dinner. Soop even sells frozen stock and other soups frozen so you can stock up and thaw out when your ready. Awesome! I have several containers in my freezer right now! souptogo.com

Here's a basic recipe that I used to make French Onion Soup.

Peel and slice 4-6  large onions and then slice the slices in half to make then into crescents. Don't skimp on the onions!  Add 3 tablespoons olive oil  and 1 tablespoon butter to a large saute pan. Add onions and stir to coat. Let the onions cook 10-12 minutes over medium-high until they are softened and begin to brown. Add 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh). Lower heat to medium and continue cooking 30 minutes more or until the onions are well browned, stirring frequently. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour in the pan and stir until well blended. Add 1/2 cup white wine and 8 cups chicken or beef broth, bring back to a boil then reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Toast 6 slices of french bread that have been rubbed with a garlic clove on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into 6 oven proof bowls and float a piece of toast on top. Top with grated swiss cheese and broil about 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling! Serves 6.

Rainy day cooking

It's raining here today and pretty quiet. I made Heather Van Vorous' "Rainy Day Lemon & Ginger Tea". I make it about twice a week - I drink a cup hot and chill the rest. It's the most refreshing drink cold and very comforting hot. Perfect for a rainy day! I also made Heather's "Roasted Cauliflower Soup" - but left out the caraway and cumin seeds and kept it simple on the seasonings using 1/2 t. thyme leaves and a bay leaf. I had some pizza dough that I rolled out and sprinked with a little olive oil and Sea salt with Mediterranean Seasonings (spices garlic, lavender, rosemary and basil oil). Just before serving I sprinked a little smoked paprika and a few drops of truffle oil on the soup. Yum! Good comfort food day!

Great Ball Jars of Strawberry Freezer Jam!

Last weekend I was in Whole Foods looking at some delicous looking strawberries when the woman standing next to me mentioned she had been coming every week to the store for these strawberries because they were so good. That did it! My indecision was over and I bought 3 baskets! I tasted a few when I got home and decided I'd make these babies last by making Strawberry Freezer jam.
Years ago I'd made it and remeber it being unbelievably fresh tasting. It truely elevated toast to some heavenly morning dessert. It would also be wonderfull as a filling in a Victorian sponge cake, or stirred into yogurt.
Checking the recipe I realized I didn't have any fruit pectin...why would I? I haven't canned or frozen anything in years-but I remebered this freezer jam was pretty easy. So off to the store to buy fruit pectin. I found the pectin, but there were several kinds. I noticed No Cook Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin made by Ball @ $1.99. No Cook? That got me thinking this could be easier than I had first anticipated. How often does that happen?
I just follwed the directions on the package...
I washed and hulled & crushed my strawberries till I had the required 4 cups. Next you mix the package of the no cook fruit pectin with 1 1/2 cups sugar, and then add the 4 cups crushed strawberries and stir for three minutes. Next, you ladle jam into Ball's 8 ounce plastic freezer jars (which I happen to already have). You could use other plactic jars but the Ball jars are so cute and I love how the lids twist on. You let it set for 30 minutes and freeze, or you can use it right away. Which I did promptly! (on toast) Did I mention this elevates the toast experience to a new level? Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to a year. I guarantee that stuff will not be in my freezer for long. This was so easy that I may just have to go crazy and make more more more! You can also do this with other tender type fruits: apricots, cherries, berries, grapes, pears, plums). You can also watch a video demonstration at: www.freshpreserving.com

Superbowl Sunday

We're making Mark Bittman's Tri-Tip Steak with Tomato Romesco (aka "The Minimilist" on the NYTimes website) . I have made quite of few of the recipes Mark demonstrates each week with great results!

For a side I am making Marinated Chickpea and Arugula Salad from the book "Mediterranean Summer" by David Shalleck. "Just put a chef on a yacht on the Riviera and you have a book sized vacation...an escapist story that comes with recipes and practically generates its own sea breeze." -New York Times
I was completely engrossed in this book and the recipes he shares helped me re-create the feeling I got as I read about David's Mediterranean adventures.