Tag: spanish cuisine
Chicken and Chorizo Paella
- 4 to 5 chicken thighs, with bone, skinless
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Sprinkle the salt and smoked paprika all over the chicken thighs and let sit for 2 to 3 hours.
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup dried chorizo, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium red pepper, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon Spanish saffron
- ½ cup tomato puree
- 2 cups short grain rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Salt
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 small tomato, chopped
Heat the olive oil in a paella pan. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes each. Take out and add the chorizo. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, pepper and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minute. Add the bay, saffron and tomato puree. Saute for a minute. Add the chicken thighs and cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Take out and let cool. Add the rice and mix well. Add the chicken broth and check seasonings. Add salt. Bring to a boil and in the meantime, take the chicken meat off the bones and shred. Add the shredded chicken to the pan and mix well. Cook the rice on a simmer for 5 minutes, lower the heat and cover till rice is almost cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the peas and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes till the peas are warm. Stir in cilantro and parsley and serve warm.
Garlic Cilantro Shrimp
I adapted this recipe from Saveur magazine. We had some friends over for a tapas party and I made this dish. It is a bit involved but so worth the extra work. The good thing is that the sauce can be prepared ahead of time. It worked out very well, as I was able to attend to my guests and cook the shrimp right before serving. Try this dish next time you want to have garlic shrimp.
- 1 to 2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
Sprinkle the salt on the shrimp and let sit for 1 to 2 hours.
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 two inch baguette slices
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ cup slivered, blanched almonds
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 cups fish stock (2 tablespoons separate)
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt
Add olive oil and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, making sure the garlic cloves don’t burn. Take out the garlic and discard. Turn the heat up and fry the bread slices 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Take out and place on a paper towel. Turn the heat off.
Transfer the fried slices, garlic, almonds, parsley, cilantro and 2 tablespoons of fish stock. Process till smooth.
Add the remaining fish stock to the garlic olive oil. Turn the heat on and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the processed mixture and bring to a boil and cook on a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and gently cook till they are cooked. Serve immediately.
Chicken with Chorizo on Raisin and Pine Nut Couscous
I have to say, this is one of my favorite, recent recipes I have come up with. I am not sure what inspired me- but I am sure I was either reading or watching something or someone cook a dish with chorizo or chicken. As I have mentioned many times before, I love Latin flavors including ancho chili powder. My other favorite ingredient is chorizo. If I could, I would eat chorizo everyday- but the reality is that it is high in fat and calories… so, it is perfect to use as a flavor enhancer and not as the main protein. I also used chicken thighs but one can use chicken breast and make the dish healthier.
The chicken and chorizo are cooked like a stew in a mixture of chicken broth and orange juice. This fall/winter, I have been using loads of fresh oranges and orange juice. I love the sweet and savory the fruit imparts in all dishes.
I served the stew with a quick raisin and pine nut couscous. I like to use whole wheat couscous to incorporate more whole grains into our diets. I also served a yummy salad .. coming up tomorrow.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 pound chicken thighs, skinless, bone in
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper
- 1 cup fresh chorizo, casings off (about 2 to 3 large links) crumbled
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 2 Clementines
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Add the flour, salt and pepper in a wide platter. Dredge the chicken lightly in the flour. Heat a large saucepan with the oil and brown the chicken pieces on both sides for 2 minutes each. Take out and keep aside. Reheat the oil and add the chorizo. Saute on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken, orange juice, chicken broth and ancho chili powder. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and let cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and increase the heat to high. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Check for seasonings and add salt and garnish with cilantro.
Couscous with Raisins and Pine Nuts
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole wheat couscous
Heat a medium saucepan with the olive oil. Add the raisins and pine nuts and sauté on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil and add the couscous. Place the lid and turn the heat off. Let stand for fifteen minutes and fluff with a fork. Serve with the chicken.
Romesco Sauce Stripped Bass
I was watching one of the other day and saw a chef making this romesco sauce. It looked really yummy and quite simple to make. It started with onions and garlic.. but before I added them to the pan, I first sauteed the fish quickly. I then added the aromatics, including roasted red peppers, tomatoes, blanched almonds, sherry vinegar and smoked paprika. I sauteed all the yummy ingredients and blended them till I achieved a smooth sauce. I then added the sauce back into the pan and cooked the fish gently. I served the yummy dish with couscous- which is the easiest and quickest starch to make. My daughter loves eating it. I make the whole wheat variety. It was a delicious meal and we enjoyed it with a glass of rose…
- 1 to 1½ pounds striped sea bass, skinned and cut into 3 inch filets
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/3 cup blanched almonds
- ½ cup roasted red peppers
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt
Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the fish pieces briefly on both sides and sprinkle with salt. Take out and keep aside. Reheat the pan and add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the almonds, red peppers and tomatoes. Mix well and cook on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and paprika. Mix well and cook on low heat with the lid on for 5 minutes. Blend smooth in a blender. Transfer back to the pan and reheat. Add the fish into the sauce and cook gently on a low heat till the pieces are cooked. Taste for seasonings and serve with couscous.
Spanish Rice with Smoked Paprika
This rice is quite simple to make and is full of delicious flavor. I made it with the steaks and used – yes, you guessed correctly- smoked paprika. I started by sauteing onions and garlic with some roasted cumin seeds and tomato paste. Some paprika and rice later, I had a fabulous side dish. Speaking of the rice, I used basmati rice. I didn’t have any other in the house. My husband felt, the nuttiness of the basmati rice was distracting in the Spanish preparation. I agreed with him but really like the long grained rice I used. If you don’t want the same distraction, feel free to use Jasmine instead.
I served the steaks and brussels sprouts with this rice dish. If you wanted to make a one-pot meal, you could add some shredded chicken and peas into the rice and call it a day.
The rice went beautifully with the steaks and the chipotle sauce. It was a great way to eat steaks with Latin flavors… try this dish, you will love it.
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Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Paprika
I made these very simple brussels sprouts with the filet mignon. I love making sprouts but until last year I was only making them for Thanksgiving. Considering how yummy and healthy they are, I decided to cook them more often. I have tried quite a few different recipes but I like roasting them the tastiest. They get nuttier and sweeter and it so easy to place them in a cookie sheet and roasting them in an oven.
For these ones, I made a garlic paste with salt and a bit of olive oil. I also added my favorite ingredient- smoked paprika. I slathered the paste all over the sprouts and roasted them for about 20 minutes. Thats it – it was as simple as that.
They were fabulous with the steaks and the rice- the recipe coming up tomorrow…
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A Kid Friendly Easy Paella Recipe- Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp
I had to cook for another one of our kid-adult play/dinner dates. It had to be something we would all enjoy and of course it had to healthy. I had just finished watching something on television about Spain- and what is the first thing that comes to mind- well, okay, two things- sangrias and paellas, right?? Well, it does for me…
I thought I could make a kid friendly paella with chicken, mild sausages and shrimp. I really wanted to add chorizo instead of a mild sausage, but I wasn’t sure how the kids would react to it- Sia can handle it but I wasn’t sure of the others. I LOVE chorizo, in case you don’t know what it is- it’s either fresh or cured sausage, made out of pork and various spices. Either way it is full of flavor and delicious. I can make a meal out of lots of chorizo, some Manchego cheese and red wine- oh, and maybe some delicious olives- you don’t need another thing! Chorizo and paella remind me of our trip to Barcelona. We ate a great meal, 3 times a day for our entire trip. The wine, tapas, paellas, sangrias and most of all the flan. I had to have a flan everyday and it was good every time! That reminds me to post a flan recipe soon! Anyway, the paellas were delicious with all sorts of seafood, and meats added to them.
I of course needed to make it quite simple and straight forward- so I didn’t add any spice- just lots of flavor. Who doesn’t like chicken, sausage, shrimp and rice?? I added some frozen green peas to fulfill the vegetable quota and some red peppers to give it color. The arborio rice made the dish really creamy and the chicken broth and saffron added great flavor. Adding the shrimp at the last minute ensured perfectly cooked crustaceans. I was extremely happy with the way the dish turned out.
The kids ate the dish but a bit reluctantly- Sia wanted only the shrimp and sausage and the other kids were not too keen on the shrimp. Once they were told about the no dessert till the dinner was done policy- everyone ate their share. The adults enjoyed it with a Malbec Rose- my favorite wine for the summer!