Paella you say?

Here's looking at you squid.


For starters, do you have any idea how hard it is to find good seafood in the land of 10,000 lakes?! I think I married one of the few men in this whole state who doesn't fish. I got to know the fish monger at my local grocery store quite well as I was talking with him 3 times in one week about getting some squid. Honestly, at one point I think he was flirting with me. Now that's good salesmanship right there!

I've been wanting to make this dish for years but never found an appropriate time until recently. I had all of D's little friends over and their Moms this last week. I wanted to make something simple yet impressive and I had some saffron to use up which Hubby had given me for Christmas. The finished product was delish! I'll be making this again but next time I'll be making the chicken and chorizo sausage version, lest I wish to endure more advances from a fish monger.

Paella: 

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 lbs chicken breast tenderloins cut into one inch cubes
• 1 lb calamari (squid) cleaned and sliced into rings
• Medium grain rice
• 4-6 cups chicken broth
• 1 large pinch Saffron
• 1 red pepper seeded and sliced
• 1 10 oz. pkg frozen peas
• Olive Oil, Salt to Taste

I didn't have a paella pan so I improved and used a hotel pan over 2 burners. This would have worked perfectly had I not forgotten about the oil I was heating and smoked the oil and slightly warped the pan. (Darn my tiny attention span)

Chop onion and tomatoes and saute in heated oil. Bloom the crushed saffron in one cup of heated broth. Add peppers to pan and saute. Add chicken and cook through. Add rice, about one pound, give or take, depending on the size of your pan. Stir and heat for a few minutes then add broth and saffron. Add squid, cook until the rice has absorbed the broth and add peas. Turn off heat and cover with foil for 5 minutes. Serve warm.