Paella

Directions

1. Step 1 : Prep the Veggies
   Prepare the tomatoes by cutting them in half and box grating them into a mixing bowl. First scoop out and discard the seeds. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the flesh into a small bowl, discarding the skins. Set aside.
   Chop the onions, green pepper, garlic, and runner beans and set aside.

2. Chop the onions, green pepper, garlic, and runner beans and set aside.

3. Step 2: Prepare the Stock
   Warm the chicken stock in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add about 2 tbsp of kosher salt and stir well. Taste it – it should taste like a slightly too salty soup. It is much easier to season the stock correctly than to add salt to the paella throughout the cooking process. This way, you don’t add any salt to the sofrito or rice while cooking. The entire salting process of the dish is accomplished through the stock.

4. Break up the saffron with your fingertips and sprinkle it into the stock. Turn the temperature to low and let simmer.

5. Step 3: Sear the Chicken and Make the Sofrito
   Heat the olive oil in the paella pan over high heat. Sear the chicken thighs on all sides until the skin is crispy and the other side is nicely browned. Remove and set aside. *You do not have to cook the thighs entirely through.

6. Add onions and green pepper, cooking until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
   Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until soft and caramelized, about 8 minutes.

7. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add rosemary, paprika, and smoked paprika, stirring for 1 minute.

8. Stir in grated tomato and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. If you’re using canned tomatoes, add 3 whole tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon.

9. Step 4: Sear the Chorizo and Toast the Rice
   Add the chorizo to the pan and stir for about 1-2 minutes.

10. Add the rice and stir. Let the rice toast a bit and soak up some of the liquid. This next step is super important – pack the rice down with a wooden spatula to create an even depth around the whole pan.
    You DO NOT stir the paella ever again! That was it. Don’t stir it, I’m serious.

11. Step 5: Add the Stock, Chicken, Beans
    Keeping the heat high, carefully pour in the 6 cups of hot, salted stock.

12. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and evenly distribute it into the bubbling stock. Do the same with the snails and runner beans.
    Rotate the pan a quarter turn every 5 minutes or so to prevent burning and evenly distribute the heat.

13. When the liquid drops just below the surface level of the rice and the meat, you can reduce the heat to a medium-high if you’re concerned about burning. Typically, at this stage, you’d put it in a hot oven, but we’re outside, so we will finish it over the flame!