Mini Paella Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir in chicken pieces to coat. Cover, and refrigerate.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or paella pan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, and rice. Cook, stirring, to coat rice with oil, about 3 minutes. Stir in saffron threads, bay leaf, parsley, chicken stock, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir in marinated chicken and onion; cook 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and sausage; cook 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp; cook, turning the shrimp, until both sides are pink.
• Spread rice mixture onto a serving tray. Top with meat and seafood mixture.

Steps:

• Combine the paprika and oregano in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix all over the chicken and marinate chicken for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Heat oil in a paella pan over medium-high heat. Saute the chorizo until browned, remove and reserve. Add chicken skin-side down and brown on all sides, turning with tongs. Add salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove from pan and reserve.
• In the same pan, make a sofrito by sauteing the onions, garlic, and parsley. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes on a medium heat. Then, add tomatoes and cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld. Fold in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains. Pour in water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Add chicken, chorizo, and saffron. Add the clams and shrimp, tucking them into the rice. The shrimp will take about 8 minutes to cook. Give the paella a good shake and let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, for about 15 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, when the rice is filling the pan, add the lobster tails. When the paella is cooked and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toast at the bottom, then it's perfect.
• Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with peas, parsley and lemon wedges.

Steps:

• Make the sofrito: In a heavy 12-inch skillet heat 3 tablespoons olive oil until hot, add the onions, and pepper strips and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring for 5 minutes more, until most of the liquid in the pan evaporates and the mixture is thick.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In the skillet heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderately high heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook it, turning. Add sausages and cook until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and deglaze pan with 1/2 cup dry white wine.
• About a 30 minutes before you plan to serve the paella, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a 14-inch paella pan or shallow casserole at least 14-inches in diameter, combine the sofrito, rice, and the saffron. Pour in 5 cups simmering stock and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and season with salt. Arrange the chicken, sausage, shrimp, clams, and mussels on top of the rice. Set the pan on the floor of the oven or the lowest shelf and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Scatter the peas at random over the whole and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and the grains are tender but not too soft. If necessary, add the remaining cup stock, if the rice needs to be more soft. Do not stir the paella once it goes in oven.
• Let paella stand at room temperature covered with a cloth for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with the lemons and parsley.

Steps:

• Pour a little clarified butter into a heat-proof casserole over moderate heat. Add the onions into the hot butter and fry until opaque. Add the rice. Wrap the 6 mussels in aluminum foil and place on top of the rice. Cover and let cook for 60 seconds. Pour the white wine over the rice and stir. The mussels will be opening up after 2 minutes. Remove the foil wrapped mussels and set aside. To the rice, add the chicken, ham and the shrimps. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the casserole in a preheated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and moisten with 1/8 cup dry white wine and decorate with mussels. Sprinkle with lemon juice and garnish with chopped parsley.

Steps:

• Boil together the broth, saffron and the broth it steeped in, tomato, paprika, turmeric, salt and pepper. Heat oil in the paella pan or cast iron 12 inch frying pan. Add garlic and onion and cook until soft, then remove.
• Brown chicken, adding oil as needed, until about 75% done, then remove.Scrape bottom of pan, add more oil, add rice, and cook until translucent. Add boiling broth, cook at medium for 5 minutes. DO NOT STIR.
• Reduce heat, arrange chicken, red pepper, mussels, chorizo, and any optional ingredients, and cook 15 minutes. Cover, continue cooking on very low, about 5 more minutes. You may need to move the pan around so heat is even; you want the water to be absorbed and the bottom to begin to get crusty.
• Let stand about 5 minutes, discard shellfish that do not open.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the onion and soften for 5 mins.
• Add the smoked paprika, thyme and paella rice, stir for 1 min, then splash in the sherry, if using. Once evaporated, stir in the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock.
• Season and cook, uncovered, for about 15 mins, stirring now and again until the rice is almost tender and still surrounded with some liquid.
• Stir in the seafood mix and cover with a lid. Simmer for 5 mins, or until the seafood is cooked through and the rice is tender. Squeeze over the lemon juice, scatter over the parsley and serve with the lemon wedges.

Steps:

• With wet hands divide and shape the paella into 12 balls. If the paella is too loose, mix in a few tbsp breadcrumbs until it's thick enough to roll.
• Roll each ball in flour, dust off the excess, then dip in egg. Mix the breadcrumbs with the paprika and roll the balls in the crumbs, until well coated. Chill until you're ready to fry and serve, or for at least 30 mins to allow the rice balls to firm up.
• Fill a deep saucepan 3/4 full with oil. Bring up to 180C, or hot enough to brown a chunk of bread in 40 secs. Use a slotted spoon to carefully lower the arancini into the hot oil and cook for 3-4 mins until golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper. Don't overcrowd the pan or the temperature of the oil will drop.
• To serve, skewer each arancini with a folded slice of chorizo and an olive.