Rick's "Empty the Freezer" Paella

Ruth and I were planning on going out for lunch today, but we got started doing chores around the house and promptly lost our motivation.  I really wanted something tasty, but I also wanted to use stuff I had in the house and the freezer to avoid a trip to the store.  I had some frozen boneless chicken thighs, chorizo, rockfish, peas and homemade fish stock, so I thought a nice paella would fill the bill.  I threw all the frozen stuff in the microwave to thaw,  and set up my paella burner on the patio.

A little prep work and everything came together beautifully!

It was great to cook lunch on the patio while sipping a cold Corona with a lime wedge.

Rick’s “Empty the Freezer” Paella

Ingredients:

1/2 lb boneless chicken thighs
1/2 lb chorizo sausage
1/2 lb firm white fish (like rockfish)
1 green pepper, sliced
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup short grain rice
3 cups fish or chicken stock
1 Tbs smoked paprika
1 pinch saffron threads
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Directions:

Thaw the frozen ingredients in the microwave.

Cut up the chicken and chorizo.

Cut the pepper and onion into slices and mince the garlic cloves

Heat some olive oil in the pan until it just starts to smoke and add the chorizo

When the chorizo starts to brown, add the chicken

Cook until the chorizo and chicken are nicely browned and remove them from the pan.  In the same oil, add the garlic, onion and green pepper

When the pepper and onion are wilted, add the smoked paprika


Stir and cook until the paprika evenly coats the vegetables.  Add 1 cup of short grain rice (like Spanish “Bomba” rice)


Add 3 cups of fish or chicken stock

Add a healthy pinch of saffron threads and the cut up fish

Cook over medium heat until the rice is cooked, the stock is absorbed and a nice fond (crust) forms on the bottom of the pan, being careful to avoid burning it.

Turn off the heat and cover with newspaper or foil for 5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!