Bahama Breeze Seafood Paella
If you're not familiar with Spain's most famous dish, you might remember it from The Raincoats episode of Seinfield.
FRANK: They're not coming?
GEORGE: No, they had plans.
ESTELLE: How could they have plans?
GEORGE: That's what I wanna know.
FRANK: Well what difference does it make? They wouldn't lie to us, they're are dear friends.
ESTELLE: What am I supposed to do with all this Paella?
GEORGE: They said tomorrow, maybe.
FRANK: Maybe?
ESTELLE: Maybe they don't like us.
FRANK: Why wouldn't they like us? (tastes the Paella; disgusted) Again with the pepper? What do you gotta use all the pepper for?
ESTELLE: Ah keep quiet.
FRANK: What are you trying to set my mouth on fire?
GEORGE: I don't know what the reason could be.
Bahama Breeze Seafood Paella
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Salt
½ tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
10 oz wt Chicken Breast, cut ½” cubes
1 cup Yellow Onions, ½ inch diced
1 cup Green Bell Peppers, ½ inch diced
1 Tbsp Fresh Garlic, minced
1 pound Bay Scallops
1 pound Medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined (reserve shells for saffron – shrimp stock - see recipe below)
½ cup Spanish Chorizo pork sausage, cut into medium dice
12 Black Mussels, cleaned and rinsed, beard removed
1 pound Fresh Firm Fish (Mahi Mahi works well) cut into 1” pieces
4 ½ Cups Saffron – Shrimp Stock (see recipe below)
2 cups Short Grain Rice
½ cup Green Peas, cooked
1 cup Roma Tomatoes, ½ “ diced
Season the chicken and seafood with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy casserole pan then add the seasoned chicken, onions, bell peppers and garlic. Sear until the chicken is lightly browned. Add the scallops, shrimp, chorizo and sear until the seafood looses its raw appearance.
Then add the mussels, fresh fish and saffron – shrimp stock and bring the stock to a simmer. Add the rice, green peas and tomatoes and using a cook’s spoon stir the rice gently to mix evenly with the rest of the ingredients. Reduce heat to a simmer and top the casserole pan with a lid. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. While the rice is cooking remove the lid to stir the ingredients from time to time to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Shrimp Stock: Yield 4 ½ cups
1 Tbsp olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, minced
¼ cup Yellow Onions, diced ½ inch
¼ cup Carrots, diced ½ inch
¼ cup Celery, diced ½ inch
2 cups Shrimp Shells, from the peeled shrimp
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 tsp Saffron
5 cups Water
2 Bay Leaves
5 White Peppercorns
Heat the oil in a medium sized pot, then add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery and shrimp shells. Sauté until the vegetables loose their raw appearance and the shrimp shells turn red in color. Add the tomato paste and while constantly stirring with a cook's spoon sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain the stock trough a fine mesh sieve. Check the yield of the stock you should have 4 ½ cups. Should you have more, return the stock to a clean pot and keep reducing until it yields 4 ½ cups. Should you have less, add water until it yields 4 ½ cups.
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