Uncle Bens Paella Recipes

SUPER EASY PAELLA

Steps:

• Chop the chicken into 1 inch chunks.
• Salt, pepper and garlic powder the meat.
• Brown in oil that has been heated in a large pot such as a Dutch Oven.
• Remove chicken and add peppers, onion, garlic, and cook until soft (about 10 minutes).
• Remove and put with chicken.
• In the same pot, combine, the tomatoes (you may need to cut them depending on the brand) and the liquid with the broth and water.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add turmeric and paprika and stir in the rice.
• Add the chicken and vegetables.
• Cover tightly and reduce heat to simmer (low or med low).
• Cook for 30-35 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
• Add shrimp and scallops be sure to PUSH THEM TO THE BOTTOM UNDER THE RICE.
• Cook for 5-10 minutes uncovered or until the shrimp are pink.
• You may add a can of peas which I don't but it is the traditional way.

QUICK AND EASY PAELLA

Steps:

• Combine chicken broth and saffron in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and keep it warm over low heat. Do not boil.
• Rise and pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• In a large paella pan, or a very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add chorizo to the skillet, sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet and set aside.
• Add chicken to the same skillet and cook for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add onion and red pepper; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Add uncooked paella rice; cook (toast) for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir in hot chicken broth, cooked chorizo, lemon juice, sweet paprika, and 2 tablespoons olive oil; mix to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to simmer; cook for about 10 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed most of the broth and is almost tender.
• Scatter the peas over the rice. Reduce heat to low, cover with foil or a lid, and cook for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, arrange shrimp and roasted red pepper strips over the rice, cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with lemon, if desired.

SHELLFISH AND CHICKEN PAELLA WITH SAFFRON RICE CHORIZO AND GREEN PEAS

Steps:

• For the rice: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the saffron to the simmering stock and let cook for 1 minute. Add the hot stock to the rice and let come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and let cook for 15 to 18 minutes, remove cover and fluff with a fork.
• For the aioli: Place the garlic, salt, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Slowly add the oil, drop by drop at first, until thickened. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the paella: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the tomatoes in a small baking dish and drizzle with the honey and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast until soft. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large ovenproof pan until almost smoking. Season the chickens with salt and pepper to taste, place in the pan and brown all sides. Degrease the pan and place in the oven and roast the chickens until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes, then cut into quarters.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobsters and cover the pot. Bring the water back to the boil, reduce the heat, and continue cooking for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. Cook the chorizo in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat until browned. Remove the chorizo to a plate lined with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan or paella pan until almost smoking. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and saute for 1 minute.
• Season the squid with salt and pepper to taste and add to the pan. Continue cooking an additional 2 to 3 minutes until just cooked though. Add the rice, stock, peas, tomatoes, chicken, lobsters and chorizo and stir to combine. Add the mussels and clams, cover the pot and continue cooking until the clams and mussels open. Fold in the parsley and lemon aioli and mix until combined, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
• For the rice: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the saffron to the simmering stock and let cook for 1 minute. Add the hot stock to the rice and let come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and let cook for 15 to 18 minutes, remove cover and fluff with a fork.
• For the aioli: Place the garlic, salt, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Slowly add the oil, drop by drop at first, until thickened. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the paella: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the tomatoes in a small baking dish and drizzle with the honey and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast until soft. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large ovenproof pan until almost smoking. Season the chickens with salt and pepper to taste, place in the pan and brown all sides. Degrease the pan and place in the oven and roast the chickens until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes, then cut into quarters.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobsters and cover the pot. Bring the water back to the boil, reduce the heat, and continue cooking for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. Cook the chorizo in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat until browned. Remove the chorizo to a plate lined with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan or paella pan until almost smoking. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and saute for 1 minute.
• Season the squid with salt and pepper to taste and add to the pan. Continue cooking an additional 2 to 3 minutes until just cooked though. Add the rice, stock, peas, tomatoes, chicken, lobsters and chorizo and stir to combine. Add the mussels and clams, cover the pot and continue cooking until the clams and mussels open. Fold in the parsley and lemon aioli and mix until combined, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

VEGAN PAELLA

Steps:

• Mix boiling water and rice together in a bowl; let stand for 20 minutes. Drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and tomato; cook and stir until peppers are slightly tender, about 3 minutes.
• Mix rice and vegetable broth into onion-pepper mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer. Add paprika, salt, and turmeric; cover skillet and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir peas and artichoke hearts into rice mixture and cook until heated through, about 1 minute more.