Paella perfect to celebrate Hispanic heritage

By Metro Creative

There are many ways a person can celebrate his or her Hispanic heritage, but perhaps no way is more indulgent than celebrating that ancestry at the dinner table. Hispanic food is a blanket term describing many styles of cuisine, so Hispanics and even non-Hispanics have a host of options at their disposal with regard to enjoying a meal that traces its roots to a Spanish-speaking country.

Those who want to try a taste of Spain should consider the following recipe for “Paella de Gambas y Chorizo (Shrimp and Chorizo Paella)” from James Campbell Caruso’s “Espana: Exploring the Flavors of Spain” (Gibbs Smith).

Paella de Gambas y Chorizo (Shrimp and Chorizo Paella)

Serves 4

1 cup olive oil, divided

2 links dry chorizo, sliced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 cups calasparra short-grain rice

2 cups Sofrito (see box)

2 tablespoons pimenton

2 pinches saffron

2½ cups fish stock or clam juice

2½ cups chicken stock

24 large raw shrimp, peeled

½ cup green peas

½ cup thin strips piquillo peppers

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the paella on the stove top in a large skillet or paella pan without a lid. In the pan, heat ¼ cup olive oil and cook the chorizo for about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, heat 1/4 cup more olive oil and saute onion until soft. Add garlic. Add rice and stir until each grain is coated with oil. Add the saffron.

Combine the fish stock or clam juice with chicken stock in a separate pan to make cooking liquid. Add 3 cups of the cooking liquid to the rice and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until rice grains are soft. Add 3 cups of the cooking liquid to the rice, sofrito, pimenton, and saffron. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until rice grains are soft. Add shrimp, peas, salt, and pepper; cook for 10 minutes. Then arrange the piquillo peppers on top.