Paella - Our First Try

We have been talking about trying to make our own paella since we were in Spain two years ago but never got around to trying it. This past week he decided to give it a go. We don't have the proper paella pan but were still able to make it. The result: good but not great paella and the decision that it is worth trying again another time.

Four portions (or more):

2 EL (also Tbs) olive oil
400 g chicken breast
2 onions
1 clove garlic
2 red bell peppers (we used zucchini instead)
150 g rice
0.75 l vegetable broth
150 g peas
200 g squid (in rings)
200 g muscles
200 g shrimp
1 EL (also Tbs) tomato paste
1/2 EL (also Tbs) sweet paprika
2 pinches of fine saffron
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 200 C (390 F).

Cover the bottom of a pan with olive oil. Place in the oven until the oil is very hot. Cut the chicken breasts into small pieces, season with salt and pepper and place them in the pan. Bake for about five minutes or until mostly cooked through. During this time cut up the onion, garlic and bell pepper.







Remove the chicken (set aside) and add the cut up vegetables to the pan. Also add the rice, vegetable broth and saffron. Bake for about 25 minutes.








After 25 minutes add back the chicken along with the sliced vegetables, tomato paste, peas, and seafood (we used less than the recipe asked for because it was already so much food!) Mix with the rice and season with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika.  Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until you feel it is finished.

Serve alone or with bread. We enjoyed the taste but our rice did not get crispy on top like it is when served in Spain. Perhaps we used too much vegetable broth or not enough rice because it was quite soupy.

Even though it was not one of our more successful means, it is always good to mix it up a little and bringing a little Spain into our house was a nice break from German and American food!