Spicy Paella with Chiles, Lime, and Cilantro
★★★★☆
Ingredients
- Spicy Broth
- 1 dried hot New Mexican or California chili (about 6 inches long)
- 6 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth (1420 ml)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (4.9 ml)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (2.5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp sugar (2.5 ml)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Lime-Cilantro Seasoning
- 1 cup packed cilantro leaves, washed and dried (237 ml)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (29.6 ml)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime) (59.1 ml)
- Paella
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (29.6 ml)
- 2 spicy chicken sausages, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 medium red bell peppers, diced
- 2 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced
- 2-3 large ripe tomatoes, diced, or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp hot Spanish paprika (4.9 ml)
- 8 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 cups Calrose rice or Arborio rice (710 ml)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels (237 ml)
- 1 lime, juiced
Instructions
- Make the broth: Cut the chili pepper in half and discard the stem and seeds. Toast in a dry skillet over low heat for 1 minute per side. In a blender, combine the toasted chili, broth, cumin, cinnamon, sugar, and garlic. Blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan. Set aside.\n2. Make the lime-cilantro seasoning: Combine cilantro, garlic, olive oil, and lime juice in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.\n3. Make the paella: Heat olive oil in a paella pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage rounds and sauté until almost cooked through. Remove sausage from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, if needed. Sauté onion and red pepper until softened, about 10 minutes. Add zucchini and continue sautéing for 10 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, and paprika. Cook for 5-10 minutes more.\n4. Push the vegetable mixture to the sides of the pan. Add shrimp to the center and quickly sauté until pink. Remove shrimp and set aside.\n5. Add rice to the center of the pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sausage and corn. Pour the hot broth over the rice mixture. Drizzle with lime-cilantro seasoning and stir gently.\n6. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bury shrimp in rice. Cook for 5-10 more minutes, or until the rice is tender, and the liquid is absorbed. \n7. Sprinkle with lime juice. Cover paella with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Wine Pairing: Fruity White (Albariño) — A dry Spanish white wine such as Albariño.