Keeping the Castle - Housekeeping & Homemaking Tips

Paella on the Grill

by Maricar on May 23rd, 2007

I’m so looking forward to the Memorial Weekend. The long weekend is somehow etched in my mind as the official start of grilling season. It’s time to go out to the parks, bring a picnic and enjoy a great grilled lunch.

Burgers. Hotdogs. Paella?

I’ve never heard of paella being cooked on a grill, but apparently it can be done. Phil Maslin’s recipe, as featured at KansasCity.com is as follows:

Phil’s paella on the grill
Makes 6 servings

6 1/2 cups homemade or canned chicken stock or broth
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 pound chorizo sausage
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 chicken thighs, skin removed
6 chicken legs, skin left on
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups uncooked short-grain rice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large tomato, pureed in blender
1 large red pepper, cut in strips
12 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 pound fresh green beans, washed, ends and strings removed

Start coals in a conventional charcoal grill and allow 30 minutes for coals to get hot, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat.

On stovetop over low heat, simmer stock in a large pot. In a small skillet on low heat, gently toast saffron on stovetop. When aroma is released, add white wine. Allow mixture to come to a boil and remove from heat.

On the stovetop over medium heat, break up chorizo sausage and brown in a medium skillet. Transfer to separate bowl and set aside.

When the grill is hot, place the paellera pan on the lowest rack and add olive oil and chicken, frying to a golden brown. When the juice runs clear and the chicken is done; transfer chicken to a separate bowl and set aside.

Add garlic and onion to the paellera pan (with chicken drippings) and sauté until translucent.

Add rice, stirring until well coated, about 1 minute. Add paprika, pureed tomato and cooked chorizo. Add 4 cups hot stock and saffron-flavored wine.

Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of pan. After 5 minutes, arrange chicken on top of rice. Do not stir the rice. Cook 10 minutes, maintaining a slow boil. As the liquid boils, keep ladling in additional chicken stock 1 cup at a time, up to 2 cups.

Decorate paella with red pepper strips, shrimp and green beans, laying the vegetables on top of the rice. If rice is still crunchy, add the final 1/2 cup chicken stock and let mixture cook until rice is tender. (If the rice is still not cooked after adding all the stock, add water 1/2 cup at a time, until rice is done.)

Remove the pan from grill. Cover with foil and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Since the paella is not stirred during its final cooking time on the grill, this produces a caramelized layer of rice on the bottom of the pan, which some consider to be the best part of the dish.

Note: Use a 14-inch paellera pan or a deep, 14-inch, oven-proof cast-iron skillet. Paellera pans can be purchased at Pryde’s Old Westport, Dean & DeLuca, or at williams-sonoma .com for $70 to $300.

Very intriguing. Something to try for the weekend perhaps?

via KansasCity.com

Tags: paella, grilled paella, cooking, Memorial Weekend recipes, grilled recipes, housekeeping, homemaking

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