Spanish rice dish

Pork Loin with Tomatillo Salsa and Spanish Rice. That was last nights supper. (You can find the recipe for Roasted Tomatillo Salsa in an earlier post.)

This Spanish Rice recipe is one I started making in the early 70s. It is listed under “Pork Casseroles” in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book that I received as a gift from my Home Economics teacher, Mrs. Little. It has a serious burn mark on the back cover…another down side of electric stoves I say, and several pages that have splatter on them. For several years, when I first started cooking, it was my go to book.

We all either own one of these books or have seen them in antique shops. The Spanish Rice recipe is listed next to the Cantonese Casserole which calls for frozen French style green beans, soy sauce, sour cream, cubed ham and water chestnuts topped with buttered soft bread crumbs and then baked. I never did make Cantonese Casserole. On the opposite page are Glamorous Rice Rings…which call for pressing hot cooked rice with chopped canned pimientos and peas into a ring mold.

As you read this cookbook you’ll find that the ring mold was a must have in every kitchen. It was used for salads like the Harvest Fruit Mold, Frosted Cranberry Salad or Rosy Strawberry Ring; vegetable dishes like Tomato Aspic; and main dishes like Jellied Chicken Salad. Back in the day we had lots of “molds” hanging in our kitchens. Of course the conventional ring mold but others shaped like a fish or fruit or fancy loaf shapes. I love this cookbook. There are some tried and true recipes that I still use today including a never fail pie crust recipe written in the margins.

Back to my Spanish Rice. I have modified the recipe a bit but even in its original form it is a good recipe.

Ingredients:

3-4 slices of bacon

1 cup diced sweet onion like Vidallia

1 half sweet bell pepper diced

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 pint tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

1/2 cup chili sauce

1 tsp brown sugar

1 T Worcestershire

Fresh cilantro to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

In Dutch oven or heavy skillet cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Set aside.

Add the onion, pepper and garlic to the bacon grease and cook over medium heat until tender but not brown. Two to three minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, broth, rice, chili sauce, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce.

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed. Once the rice is done stir in the crumbled crisp bacon and cilantro.

Dish up and enjoy. This was a perfect side to my pork loin but would also go well with pork chops or roast chicken. The tomatillo salsa kicked the pork up a bit.

NOTE: When I buy bacon I freeze some in 3-4 slice servings to use in recipes like this one.

The original recipe calls for 8 slices of bacon, thus qualifying it as a Pork Casserole. I reduced that significantly but you’re welcome to add more bacon if you’d like. If you do use significantly more bacon be sure to drain off most of the grease before cooking the vegetables.

I was fortunate to have a jar of chili sauce that someone had made and given to me. It was excellent! Perfect for this recipe. I wish I remembered who gave it to me so I could thank them. I think I’ll add chili sauce to my tomato canning this summer.

Paella is a Spanish dish made with rice, and a variety of meat (chicken or rabbit), seafood (shrimp, mussels or a firm fish like cod), and spicy sausage like andouille or chorizo. It also includes vegetables like green beans or peas and spices like paprika and saffron. This dish allows for countless variations. The rice is supposed to be cooked in such a way that it crisps up on the bottom and edges. It’s frequently prepared over an open fire or a very high burner. Every summer we attend a music festival in northern lower Michigan where huge iron paella pans are set over an open flame and enough paella is being prepared to feed dozens and dozens. It’s almost as much fun watching them make it as it is eating it. They make a vegetarian Paella as well making them a very popular stop. Paella cooked in this fashion allows for nicely crisped rice. Personally, I prefer my rice without the crisp so that’s the way I prepare it.

This post, however, is as much about my new pan as it is about the paella. Interestingly, the word “paella” derives from the Old French word paella for pan which in turn comes from the Latin word patella for pan. (I didn’t happen to know that off the top of my head but I do know how to access all things Wikipedia.) I frequently stop and browse in shops that sell Le Creuset cookware. Le Creuset is a French company that makes enameled cast iron cookware. I have several knock-off enameled cast iron pieces which I use all the time but have never purchased a Le Creuset. Until now. I am still excited! My husband gifted it to me so I promised to, appropriately, make paella my first dish in this beautiful 5 quart Braiser aka Paella or Patella.

A thing of beauty, no?!

This recipe makes a generous amount. Although the leftovers were great I probably will not make this again until we have guests.

Ingredients:

Herb Blend

1 cup chopped fresh parsley and cilantro

2 or 3 large cloves of garlic minced

juice of one lemon

1 T olive oil

Paella

1 cup water

1 tsp saffron threads

5 cups chicken broth

1/2 pound unpeeled jumbo shrimp

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

4 links andouille sausage

3-4 slices of thick bacon cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cups finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 cup canned diced tomatoes undrained

1 tsp sweet paprika

3-4 cloves of garlic whole

3 cups Arborio rice

1 cup frozen peas

1 lemon juiced

Combine the first 4 ingredients and set aside. Combine the water, broth and saffron in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Do not boil. Keep warm over low heat.

Heat 1 T of olive oil in large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces and saute 2-3 minutes per side. Remove them from the skillet and set aside. Add the sausage and bacon to the skillet and saute 3-4 minutes. Remove them from the skillet.

Reduce the heat to medium low and add the onion and bell pepper. Saute for approximately 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes, paprika and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add the rice and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Stir in the herb blend and the peas.

Add the broth mixture, chicken, and sausage mixture and bring to a low boil. Cook 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Once the meat is added this 5 quart pan is VERY full. Be careful.

Add the shrimp and cook 5 more minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the juice from one lemon, cover, and allow the paella to sit for 10 minutes. If your skillet doesn’t have a lid cover the paella with a clean dish towel.

Serve with lemon wedges.

NOTE: Like I mentioned earlier, this recipe is perfect for modifying based on personal tastes. I would love to use mussels but availability is an issue. I may try this next with strictly seafood and substitute seafood broth for the chicken broth. My husband likes foods kicked up and he added hot sauce to his.

The Finnish Dish

Cooking in Michigan with Ruth

Spanish Rice

Paella In My Paella