Less-Fuss Paella Arrives in Time for Summer

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Less-Fuss Paella Arrives in Time for Summer

It comes in so many variations; if you want to learn more about the process, consider the works of Penelope Casas, a wonderful cook and author who has written prolifically about Spanish cuisine, or Marimar Torres, whose cooking talents are well known at her famous California winery. And chef Seamus Mullen has revealed his method for paella on a New York rooftop in his new book.

But sometimes the simplest paellas can be the most satisfying. Consider this week’s recipe as a sort of primer for an easy home-cooked stovetop and oven version. That’s not to say some of the prep work isn’t a bit time consuming, but the actual active cooking time is more or less a breeze.

The ingredients are relatively few: onion, chorizo, garlic, shrimp and fava beans, plus a little saffron and smoky pimentón, the spicy Spanish paprika. If you can’t get fresh fava beans (or don’t want to deal with peeling them), you can substitute peas or even frozen baby limas. To achieve a truly authentic taste, try to find imported chorizo and Bomba rice. As for the shrimp, choose spanking fresh wild, preferably medium size. I recommend peeling and deveining the shrimp, then using the shrimp shells to make the cooking broth. You could also leave the shrimp unpeeled and use chicken broth instead.

Most paella cooks I know agree that it’s important to take great care with the initial cooking of the aromatic base known as sofrito, which often contains tomato and peppers. For this recipe, though, it means simply stewing an onion and chorizo mixture very slowly in olive oil to concentrate the flavor. Once the rice goes into the pan and the liquid is added, an easy technique to employ is the 10-10-10. That’s 10 minutes over a high flame, 10 then minutes over a medium flame (or in the oven) and 10 minutes resting, lightly covered with a clean towel. The paella needn’t be served piping hot, just warm.

The usual condiment is a good dab of allioli, a thick garlicky sauce similar to the French aioli. Though nowadays most people make it like mayonnaise, using egg yolks, real purists insist on an emulsion of nothing but garlic, salt and olive oil, pounded in a mortar. That takes practice and a little luck. Or a Spanish grandmother.

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