Friday, September 10, 2010

Pseudo paella

(via)
I've posted before about my pseudo paella: This recipe would make a true connoisseur weep sadly, but is full of yum ingredients and won't take too long (35-45 min., instead of hours over coals).

Note: This recipe was adapted from Isabel Allende's "Aphrodite" and has a special story. After publishing "Paula," a sad but beautiful account of her daughter's illness, Allende said her days were grey with grief. But one night, she dreamt in Technicolor of eating Antonio Banderas wrapped in a burrito (!) and realized her senses were re-awakening; thus "Aphrodite" -- a celebration of the senses (and life) through food, and vice versa -- was born.
~ Have a wonderful weekend! ~
***
PSEUDO PAELLA (Feeds 2 hungry people)
Adapted from Isabel Allende's "Aphrodite"
  • 1-2 tablespoons (~15-30g) minced onion
  • 3 tablespoons (~45ml) olive oil
  • 1 pinch turmeric
  • 1 pinch saffron
  • 1 pinch paprika
  • 2 cups (~450g) mixed seafood (squid, shrimp, scallops, others) --> I know it's sacrilegious, but seafood straight from a frozen pack saves LOTS of time & works in this recipe
  • 1 small tomato, chopped into medium chunks
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 cups (~500ml) fish stock (ideally) or other stock
  • 1 cup (~250ml) white rice
  • 1 red bell pepper (sweet pepper or capsicum), cut in strips
  • Optional: 1 cup (~225g) peas
  • Optional: 6-8 mussels in shell
  • Optional: Lemon wedges to squeeze over seafood
In a large pan, saute onion in oil over medium-high heat until transparent. Add the spices and saute 1 minute more. Add the seafood--but not the mussels--tomato and garlic. Cook 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally. Add stock. When it reaches a boil, sprinkle in the rice and peas. Lower the heat, cover pan and let bubble and cook gently 15 minutes. Arrange the red pepper and mussels on top, cook covered for 5-10 minutes more. Test to see if the rice is done and check seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, uncover the pseudo paella and let steam evaporate 2 minutes before serving with lemon, then chow!

{Feel free to play with the recipe and add your fave ingredients - recipes (and food) can be freestyle, fun and personal. :)}

34 comments:

K and S said...

enjoyed reading "aphrodite" recently, lots of deliciousness.

Signe said...

Mmm, looks sooo yummy, even if it isn't 'the real thing' :)

Have a lovely weekend!

Lisa Gordon said...

What a neat story, and this looks just yummy!!
Looks like a great colorful Fall dish.

RD said...

One of my favorite dishes to cook when I invite friends. Your version looks great! Here's the version I usually make. But sometimes I Indianize it! A great reminder to dust off the paella pan... xo bb

Isa said...

thanks for sharing, Jude. Sounds delicious!!!

Isabel said...

OMG that looks AMAZING!

Ren- Lady Of The Arts said...

We love Paella-

I like this quick version but truth be told- I'm a bit of a paella snob-

Dr. J wrote a post- THE ONLY ONE HE'S DONE TO DATE!

And it was this paella recipe:

Here is the link if you are interested!

http://ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/2010/08/spanish-paella-by-guest-blogger-dr-j.html

Jude said...

Hi Kat - how fun! I thought it was a delicious read too :)

Hi Signe - thanks and hope your weekend is also fantastic!!

Hi Lisa - ooh, I love the idea of it being a Fall dish (I guess I must've thought that subconsciously - it's getting cold now at nights! :) Have a lovely wkd!

Hi Bombay Beauty - that sounds amazing! I have to try. Love the idea of Indianizing it too (it's too fun to play around with recipes :))

Hi Isa - thanks so much! Hope your weekend goes great! :)

Hi Isabel - thank you!! :)

Hi Ren - haha, that's awesome! I used to be a paella snob (I still am!), so cringed when I posted this - but work life doesn't let me cook the real deals sometimes :)) I'd love to try your recipe - thank you!

Krysten @ Why Girls Are Weird said...

Mmmm looks delicious!

Ren- Lady Of The Arts said...

PS: I've read the book and own a copy!

Justine said...

this looks lovely. I read somewhere that men make the best paella - very sexist and probably an urban myth. Haven't read Isabelle Allende since the house of spirits, a fab book.

Unknown said...

Oh well doesn't that look tasty!
xo
amanda

Melissa Blake said...

That looks delicious!! :)

cb said...

that looks incredible! i have always wanted to make paella even though i have never had it, it just always looks good! thanks for posting the recipe!

oh and thanks for the very sweet comments too!

xo,
cb

THE ALTERNATIVE WIFE said...

This looks delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe. I'll have to give it a shot.

Have a great weekend! xoxo

Stacey said...

I'm never one to really follow a recipe anyway( i have to always put my spin on it:-)). That looks delish too! Happy weekend dearest Jude! I just love your name too-did i ever tell you that?:-). xx

Tiffany Kadani said...

My mom has been looking everywhere for a Pealla recipe. I will for sure have to show her this one. Awesome!

Jude said...

Hi Krysten - thanks so much! :)

Hi Ren - ooh, awesome, I have it too - love dipping into it sometimes.

Hi Justine - that is so funny! I've heard that too (I remember a Spanish cafe where they said only men could be waiters - same thing!)

Hi Amanda - thanks so much :) Love tasty things myself!

Hi Melissa - thank you! - have a great wkd :)

Hi cb - thanks so much! Hope you get a chance to try paella soon - promise you it's D-lish stuff :)

Hi Alternative Wife - thank you!! Hope your wkd away is ab-fab and wonderful! :)

Hi Stacey - aw, you're such a sweetheart! I love to personalized recipes too (I've a hard time following them :)) Hope your wkd is amazing and things calm soon!

HI Dancing Branflake - that's adorable you're mum's been looking - this isn't the real deal but it's filling and quick :) Hope all goes well w/your show!

daily mix LA said...

that looks AMAZING!

the chirpy bird said...

Oh yes fantastic! Adore this!
xo tash

Rowena said...

Sigh...you read and I...hike. I really need to find some time to sit down and put fingertips to pages, and I'm not talking about some damn cookbook! I must've spent about 5 minutes at the link - the excerpt is so sensuously wild!

But wait...she dreamt in Technicolor of eating Antonio Banderas wrapped in a burrito??? Did you see him in Take the Lead? He is divine!!!!

Anonymous said...

I love eating with my eyes.

It looks yummy.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Diana Mieczan said...

That sounds and looks so yummy:) You are making me so hungry:) Hugs,darling
Have a fantastic weekend

Nicki said...

WOW. this looks DELICIOUS. can i come over for dinner?!

Jade Purple Brown said...

sounds like a great recipe!

jadepurplebrown.blogspot.com

Regan said...

YUmm. :) Looks good!

Style, She Wrote said...

Thanks for your sweet comment. Sorry you miss NY so much. This recipe looks yummy!

Oh, My Darling said...

Yum, I love paella! My family used to make paella for all of our summer get-togethers -- it was a fourth of July tradition!

balletnews said...

I can smell it already... wonderful !

stylenuggets said...

I love paella but it takes too long to prepare. This looks like a quick recipe so will try it!

Mary said...

I think I'm going to have to make this, just for the sheer reason that you referenced a dream from Isabel Allende. She's one of my favorite writers, and wow, that imagery of Antonio Banderas wrapped up in a burrito!

Jude said...

Thanks so much for your comments!

@Rowena - whew, I need to recover from that wild, wild clip! (THANKS!) Yes, I totally understand why Isabel Allende would dream of him :)

@Melissa (Oh, My Darling) - so sweet it was a July 4th tradition! I need to start that tradition :)

@MarchMusings - I love quick but dependable recipes! I don't have enough time these days for long recipes :)

@Mary - haha, I heard Allende in a radio interview when she talked about her dream & it certainly stuck in my mind too! :) Thanks so much for dropping by.

Justine said...

thank you for all your lovely comments on flickr and my blog, I came here to see if you had updated your blog but sadly not, I will be back!

Jude said...

Aw, thanks for checking in Justine! (I tend to go on wkd-long internet breaks :) But do check in on wkds sometimes!)

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