Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Sunday Seafood Paella

As the Santa Monica fog rolls in, I'll try to keep myself optimistic about the weather by reflecting on the freak-summer we had this past weekend. Sunday nights are often dinner at Quinn's house, where his mother Mado spends most of her day concocting something thoroughly delectable for the family (and sometimes me). I look forward to her meals every week, having sampled such dishes as grilled shrimp & fish tacos, red & black mole enchiladas and grilled Alaskan salmon with mango salsa and a chipotle sauce.

This week Mado made shrimp, mussels and chicken paella, after having taken a demonstration class a few weeks prior. I got to watch as she and Quinn got to work on the BBQ. First, they browned the chicken and set it aside for later. Taking sliced Spanish chorizo and diced white onion, they sautéd the mixture on a flat pan on the grill.

Next was a dry white wine, saffron, diced tomatoes in juice, and a few cups of rice. After simmering for a minute, Mado poured enough chicken stock to fill the pan and left it, covered in tinfoil, for about 15 minutes. Lastly, she added the shrimp and mussels to the top -- they only take a few minutes to cook.

With the paella came a beet salad with blood oranges and a rhubarb crisp for dessert. With such fresh, springtime ingredients, a breathtaking, sunny day and the grill, we got a little slice of summer in the midst of a foggy and disappointing spring. Let's hope next weekend is just as gorgeous!

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