Some people argue that a true paella must contain only meat or seafood, never both, that a true paella can be prepared only in a paellera, or that true paella must be cooked outdoors over wood. Perhaps they’re all right. What’s clear to me is that you can produce a fabulous rice dish I call paella in just over half an hour, which makes it a great option for weeknights.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 500°F or as near that temperature as you can get it. Warm the stock in a saucepan along with the saffron if you’re using it. Put an ovenproof 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. A minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy, just a minute or two. Season liberally with salt and pepper and add the warmed stock, taking care to avoid the rising steam. Stir in the shrimp and transfer the skillet to the oven.
Step 3
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is dry on top. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Variations
Step 4
Shrimp is my first choice for this dish, but the alternatives are numerous. As long as the pieces are less than 1/2 inch thick, anything will cook through in the time it takes for the liquid to evaporate. Try any combination:
Step 5
Sausage, (especially chorizo), cut into bits
Step 6
Peas and/or other vegetables, cut up if necessary
Step 7
Scallops, treated exactly like the shrimp
Step 8
Boneless pork or chicken, cut into 1/2-inch or smaller cubes
Step 9
Tofu, stirred into the rice during the last 5 minutes of baking
Step 10
Clams and/or mussels, well scrubbed, placed on top of the rice when you put the pan in the oven
