Recipe: Mexican Chorizo “Paella”

Yes well. But I didn’t have any Spanish chorizo on hand, and I really wanted some paella. Or in this case, “paella.” I don’t even know what this is. I liked it, I really did. It didn’t taste like the paella I had at a GREAT Spanish restaurant I went to recently, but it was really good. Honest. I doubled the recipe myself, but assuming normal humans aren’t inhaling carbs like a maniac, I cut everything in half and put it below.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb Mexican Chorizo (the ground crumbly kind)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1 bell pepper any color
• 1/2 tbs smoked paprika (important!)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups Arborio rice (yes I know this is Italian I don’t know where to get Bomba rice)
• 1 lb seafood mix (you know the frozen stuff at the grocery with squid mussels and clams? If you can get it fresh even better!)
• Salt to taste

TOOLS:

• A freaking large pot (or in your case, 5 qt+)
• Something to stir with
• Knife and cutting board
• Bowls or plates

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put the heat on medium. My stove is good at a 4/7.
2. Brown the Chorizo until cooked all the way through. Put it aside in a bowl or plate.
3. Dice onion and bell pepper and add it to the pot (that has chorizo juices in it). Add 2 tbs olive oil while stirring.
4. Add salt to the pot to help the veggies sweat it out – don’t overdo it. The Chorizo is already pretty salty. Meanwhile, dice up your 3 cloves of garlic.
5. Add the garlic and 1/2 tbs paprika to the mix until it gets nice and fragrant. Keep stirring.
6. When it looks like it’s pretty dry, add the 1/2 cup of wine to deglaze.
7. Then add in the 4 cups chicken broth and can of diced tomatoes.
8. Dump in the 2 cups of rice. Mix.
9. Cover with a lid. Lower the heat to simmer, or in my case, “lo.” Ignore for 15 minutes.
10. If the liquid level looks soupy and not like the photo below, leave it uncovered and boil it down a bit.
11. When the liquid level is right, as in the texture you want to eat, mix the Chorizo back in.
12. Throw the seafood mix on top, and cover for about 10 minutes, still on “lo.”
13. Mix and serve.