As a parent, New Year's Eve holds a special place in my heart because it's also my daughter's birthday. We've always celebrated in a grand fashion, and now, as a grandparent, we have the addition of my little “sous chefs,” Kate, Luke and Jack — so, you know there is always something delicious on the menu.
I love to surprise my family and friends with dishes inspired by my travels with a variety of options to make the meal slightly more colorful and adventurous; plus, it makes for a wonderful conversation piece. One of my favorite dishes to serve at our New Year's Eve celebration is paella. This traditional Spanish dish, originating from Valencia, is a feast for both the eyes and the palate.
Paella's roots go back to the mid-19th century when it was a staple for farm laborers in the Valencia region. They would cook rice with whatever ingredients they had on hand, including rabbit, chicken, snails, and beans. Traditionally cooked over an open fire, paella's popularity spread throughout Spain and eventually the world, leading to numerous regional variations, including seafood and mixed versions. Despite its evolution, traditional Valencian paella remains a symbol of Spanish culinary heritage, often enjoyed during communal gatherings and celebrations.
Preparing paella can be a delightful and engaging experience, especially if you involve your guests (and the little sous chefs in your life) in the process. The vibrant colors and rich aromas as the dish comes together are sure to enchant everyone. Plus, sharing the history and cultural significance of paella adds depth to the dining experience.
Here is my easy-to-follow recipe that will have your guests cheering, İOlé!
*Remove all proteins from the refrigerator to allow time to come to room temperature.
MAKE SAFFRON-PIMENTÓN WATER In a small bowl, crush the dry saffron threads with the back of a wooden spoon, add 3 tablespoons of warm water, then add pimentón. Whisk together to fully blend and allow to infuse for 1 hour.
FOR THE SOFRITO Heat the olive oil in a 14-inch paella pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo to render the fat, then remove and reserve. While the paella pan is still warm, increase the heat to medium-high and sear the lobster, flesh side down, until golden about 2 minutes, then remove and reserve. Sear the chicken, skin side down, until the skin just crisps about 8 minutes, then remove and reserve. Sear the pork cubes until just caramelized, about 3 minutes, then remove and reserve. Turn the heat to medium. Add the onions and bay leaves and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the peppers and sauté until soft (5 minutes), then add garlic and when the aroma releases, immediately add the wine. Allow the alcohol to evaporate for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes soften for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the entire sofrito mixture to a bowl, add the piquillo peppers, and saffron-pimentón water and stir to mix all ingredients and remove bay leaves.
ASSEMBLE THE PAELLA Off the heat, spread the sofrito and chorizo in the bottom of the paella pan, and fold in the rice to season and coat. Nestle the chicken and pork into the sofrito and rice. Carefully add enough of the lobster-clam-chicken stock to barely cover the rice.
COOK THE PAELLA Place the paella pan on an open grill fire and bring the mixture to a medium boil for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Add stock if required. Do not stir. At the 10-minute mark, remove the paella from the heat and arrange the lobster (flesh side down), scallops, shrimp, and mussels — being careful to nestle the seafood but not to disturb the paella. Add stock if the rice has absorbed liquid. Place paella back on the fire for 7 minutes to finish cooking.
CREATE THE SOCCARAT To create the treasured socarrat, or crusty bottom, increase the grill heat to high and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes to caramelize the rice on the bottom of the paella pan. Watch carefully to ensure it does not burn, but do not stir as that will prevent the socarrat from forming.
TO SERVE Remove the paella from the grill and sprinkle with peas. Serve family style in the paella pan with lemon wedges and wooden paella spoons to scrape the socarrat.
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