Spring Paella

Spring Paella is fragrant and appealing. It gathers a variety of fresh vegetables into a pretty rice dish that cooks on the stovetop. The rice is served all dente and the flavors are bright. This recipe works great for a weeknight meal and is festive enough for company. Once you have tried it, feel free to vary the vegetables and proteins to fit what you find available at its seasonal best.

A Taste for Travel

Long ago, I spent a wonderful summer in Spain. I was young then, and intent on seeing the world. Held for so long by my own native region of the US I was eager to stretch my wings. Having taken a Spanish class in high school, I set my sights on Spain. Once there, I was captivated by its beauty.

As I traveled the country, I grew enamored with the history and grandeur. I happily followed our guide through the Alcázar de Segovia. The treasures and tombs of El Escorial were breathtaking as was the open setting and somber atmosphere of Valle de los Caidos. I delighted in the narrow winding streets of Toledo, the hustle of Madrid and the energetic cheers of the Plaza de Toros. It was exciting, eye opening, a feast of sensations, of ideas and understanding.

Joyful Spanish Cuisine

Spain was also a feast of new textures, tastes and aromas. One of the most amazing things about the trip was the food. I loved the Gazpacho, the Tortilla Española, the sweet butter cookies we bought by the kilo from the pastelería. In the afternoon our residence hall served drinks and snacks at the bar for our merienda. Almost every day we had a sandwich, or bocadillo, on good baguette style bread. There was no mayonnaise, only buttered bread and filling. One day a week the filling was a chocolate bar. How great is that?

That summer in Spain was joyful. I loved the people I met, the city life, the heat of the sun and the deep cool of the shade. I loved the strong black morning coffee, the siesta, limonadas in the afternoon at a café, and dinner, late in the evening, in our dining room. We were active and busy and always hungry, and as a result the food tasted all the more wonderful.

Ordering Paella

One of my fondest memories is of the Paella. I ate it frequently during my stay in Spain but the ingredients varied. The rice was delicious and firm with little green peas, sometimes shrimp or sausage and eggs, chicken, tomatoes…but it was always fragrant, filling and delicious.

When I returned to the States I hoped to eat this wonderful dish again, but I rarely saw it offered and I didn’t have an adequate recipe. Later, when I visited St. Augustine, FL, on my honeymoon, we ate in a small Spanish restaurant that offered Paella on the menu. I ordered it with great hope but was soon disappointed. The rice was not really fragrant with saffron but yellow with turmeric. The peas were small and soft and the rice was sticky, not at all what I remembered or hoped for. That experience has been repeated several times since. I am now wary of ordering Paella in a restaurant.

Making Paella at Home

At home I’ve had a bit more luck. I have never made a Paella that fully lives up to my memories of those weeks in Spain, wide eyed with the wonder and abundance of this world, but I have made a few that are worth repeating.

This recipe for Spring Paella is deliciously consistent. It incorporates a variety of seasonal vegetables and looks appealing. The rice does not get mushy and the flavors are bright. It works great for a weeknight meal and is festive enough for company. Once you have tried it, feel free to vary the vegetables and proteins to fit what you find available at its seasonal best.

Spring Paella

Course: Main DishCuisine: Spanish/AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

Spring Paella gathers a variety of fresh seasonal vegetables into a pretty rice dish that is fragrant with saffron and deliciously appealing.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 large onion (about 1 cup), chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 cup long-grain rice

• 1 10 1/2-ounce can condensed chicken broth

• 2 carrots (about 1 cup), cut into ½-inch chunks

• 1 large tomato (about 1 cup), chopped

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

• 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken-breast

• 1/2 pound large shrimp, thawed and fully cooked

• 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 medium-size zucchini, cut in half lengthwise then into 1/2-inch pieces

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a 4 or 5 quart saucepan or Dutch oven, over medium heat. When oil is hot saute onion and garlic until onion is tender and translucent.
• Add the rice to the pan stirring until well mixed. Add undiluted chicken broth, stirring well. Then add carrots, tomato, dried thyme leaves, saffron threads, salt and ground red pepper. Bring these ingredients to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes.
• While the rice mixture is cooking, cut the chicken breast meat into 1 1/2 inch pieces and set aside.
• When the rice mixture has cooked for 15 minutes, layer chicken over the rice mixture. Cover and continue cooking for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
• While the chicken is cooking, place asparagus and zucchini in a 2-quart microwave safe dish. Add 2 Tablespoons of water, cover, and cook on High for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender, stirring midway through the cooking process.
• Layer shrimp and vegetables over chicken and rice mixture. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir and serve.

Notes

• Recipe Source: Clipped from a magazine, maybe Woman’s Day or Family Circle, many years ago.