Valencia Paella
Valencia Paella
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Yield: Serves 8-10 |
Ingredients
3 each boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-in. pieces
8 oz. halibut fillet, skinned and cut into 6-8 pieces
10 each large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails left on
10 each Manila clams, washed and scrubbed
10 each mussels, washed and scrubbed
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika *
1 med. onion, roughly chopped
3 each bay leaves
2 each chorizo sausages, cut into 1-in. pieces (about 8 oz.) *
1½ cups medium grain rice, preferably Spanish
1 cup dry white wine
6 each canned artichoke hearts, cut into quarters
¼ cup roasted Spanish piquillo peppers, sliced into thin strips *
3 each Roma tomatoes, cut into ½-in. pieces
½ tsp. saffron threads *
3-4 cups chicken broth
¼ cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped
Preparation
Oven Temperature: 540-570 degrees
- Place the chicken, halibut, shrimp, clams and mussels in 4 separate bowls. Season all but the clams and mussels with olive oil, salt and paprika. Use approximately • cup of the oil and half of each of the salt and paprika. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.
- Flame Height: 3
- Pour the remaining olive oil in a 17-in. paella pan.* Heat the pan in the center of the oven for 1 minute. Add the onion, remaining paprika and a little salt and move the pan in front of the flame for 2 minutes or until the onions begin to brown.
- Remove pan and add the bay leaves, chicken and chorizo and return to the same spot in front of the flame for about 5 minutes to brown the chicken.
- Transfer the pan to the doorway of the oven, stir in the rice and let it toast, stirring frequently for 2-4 minutes.
- Add the wine and reduce by half, stirring the whole time. This will only take 1-2 minutes.
- Add the artichokes, peppers, tomatoes, saffron and about 1 Tbsp. of salt. Stir in enough chicken stock just to cover the food.
- Flame Height: 3.2
- Place the paella in the center of the oven and cook without stirring for 10-12 minutes or until the rice begins to show at the top of the stock. Rotate the pan 180 once during this time.
- Remove the pan and carefully press in the halibut, shrimp, clams, and mussels, making sure the clams and mussels are hinge side up.** At this point, add more chicken stock if necessary to finish the cooking. Continue to cook in the center of the oven for 5-6 more minutes or until the fish is just cooked and the rice is brown around the edges. Rotate pan as needed.
- Serve in the pan sprinkled with parsley.
* Paella pans and Spanish ingredients may be found at The Spanish Table www.thespanishtable.com
** You want to protect the bivalves from the top heat and seal in their moisture. Turn back over for presentation.
