The Secret to Preparing the Perfect Paella

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According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, paella is a saffron-flavored dish made with varying combinations of rice, vegetables, meat, chicken and seafood. The Dictionary also explains that in the Old French and Catalan languages, paella means frying pan or pot. The traditional paella pan is flat and of large diameter, it can also have handles on each side.

In fact, paella is one of the most versatile dishes to make. Paella also has the advantage of being great to clean out the fridge and use up leftover meats and vegetables. Any combination will eventually be great the secret is in the chemistry. Paella is a dish that is generally made to feed several people. Moreover, paella is quite flavorful the next day as the tastes have had time to mix together and become stronger.

This article is not a recipe but rather an outline that describes the three basic steps to follow to make a wonderful paella while leaving the reader (the chef!) the latitude to be creative and to make the dish their own by customizing it to their taste.

First the rice.

Select a type of rice that you are comfortable using. Feel free to experiment but know that paella contains a lot of ingredients and if you are unhappy with the end result with a particular type of rice, you might end up with a lot of waste. Basmati, brown or a mix with wild rice can add great taste and texture. Follow the instructions on the package with regards to washing and cooking the rice. Finely chop some onion, garlic and tomato. Heat a saucepan and add olive oil once the saucepan is hot (make sure that the oil does not start smoking. Burnt olive oil is carcinogenic and quite unhealthy). Once the oil is hot, throw in the uncooked rice. Frying uncooked rice gives it a nutty taste. Let the rice fry in the saucepan for a minute or so. Add the chopped onion, garlic and tomato until they soften, mixing constantly. Spice with saffron, salt and pepper. Feel free to experiment. Cumin, Cayenne various fine herbs or even a bit cinnamon or cloves can easily be added for a flavoring of your own. This mixture should not be on the stove for more that three to five minutes. At high heat with constant mixing, none of the ingredients should stick but they should mix well together and soften. Once all the ingredients are combined, remove the saucepan from the burner and mix in some frozen peas. Add enough peas to make a well balanced mixture.

Second the meat.

In a frying pan at high heat, brown some pieces of chicken. Upper thighs, drumsticks, breasts...it's all good. Do not cook the meat completely but brown the outside. Once browned, set the meat aside. Lamb can also add great flavor to your paella.

Third combining it all.

Cover the bottom of the paella pan with the uncooked rice mixture. Add the browned chicken pieces on top. Add uncooked Merguez (spicy lamb sausages) and small fish filets rolled up and fastened with a toothpick or string. Use any type of fish but make sure that its flesh will hold well together. Pour some chicken broth on top (if the broth is warm the cooking time will reduce). Note that you can also add wine for more flavor. Cover the paella dish and cook for about 45 minutes at 350F or until the rice is cooked. At this point you can add raw shrimp or muscles and cook uncovered for another five minutes.

In short, the secret to preparing the perfect paella is to make it your own!

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Easy Tips for Cooking Fish

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Americans tend to eat twice as many fish dinners at restaurants as they do at home largely because they are unsure how to properly prepare fish. Here are some easy and common sense tips about cooking fish at home.

Fish should be purchased either frozen or very fresh at the market. Since fish is delicate, fresh fish should not be refrigerated for more than one or two days. Frozen fish should be well thawed before it is cooked and both frozen and fresh fish should be well dried before cooking.

One of the most popular methods of cooking fish is to pan fry it in a shallow amount of oil. White fish should be coated before it is pan fried in order to protect the delicate flesh from the heat. A coating of seasoned white or wholemeal flour or a mixture of flour, beaten egg and fine bread crumbs is sufficient. Olive oil or a combination of oil and butter will give the fish a tasty crispness. The oil should be shallow, about 1/8 inch, and should be preheated in a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium heat to about 365 degrees F. This is hot enough to make a small cube of bread sizzle loudly and brown up in about 45 seconds. Place a few pieces of coated fish into the skillet without crowding and cook them for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Thicker pieces should cook for 5 to 6 minutes on the first side and for about 4 minutes on the other side.

Avoid overcooking the fish because overcooking will cause it to taste dry and tough. White fish will change from a translucent color to an opaque color when cooked and will begin to flake when it is done. Fish that flakes too easily is an indication that it may be dry and overcooked.

Grilling is a great way to cook sturdier fish such as grouper, salmon, tuna, and swordfish. Just be sure that the grill is preheated and is cleaned and lightly oiled so that the fish will not stick to it. The sturdier fish may be cooked with a light coating or without any coating. More delicate fillets should be coated and grilled in a grill basket or grilled on a heavy duty sheet of foil.

One of the easiest ways to cook fish is to bake it. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place the seasoned, coated fish onto a lightly oiled baking sheet or shallow baking pan. Bake the fish for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness. As with pan frying, the white fish is properly cooked when its color turns opaque and it begins to flake when a fork is inserted into the center.

Oven broiling is another great way to produce delicious cooked fish. Season and coat the fish well ahead of time. Preheat the broiler and place the fish 5 to 6 inches beneath the broiler. Watch the fish carefully to avoid overcooking. Thicker fillets should be turned halfway through cooking.

The microwave oven can be used to cook a delicious fish dish. Use your favorite recipe for coating and seasoning and try to make the fillets even thickness for best results. Thinner sections of the fish can be folded under each other to help make the fillet an even thickness. Rotate the fish halfway through the cooking time if the microwave oven does not have a turntable. Let the fish stand for a few minutes to finish cooking. Use the color and flake tests to check for final doneness.

Lastly, fish can be steamed or poached with excellent results. To steam the fish, place it in a metal or bamboo steamer. Place the steamer into a saucepan that has water or stock that has been seasoned with lemon, ginger, or any seasonings from your favorite recipe. It is important that the liquid reaches a simmering temperature but not a boiling temperature. Similarly, the fish can be poached by lowering it into a liquid that is simmering but not boiling. A boiling liquid will cook the fish too quickly and cause the outside of the fish to overcook. The poaching liquid can contain any aromatic herb or vegetable that you enjoy. Cooking times are only a few minutes and depend on the thickness of the fish. As always, test the fish for doneness with the color and flake tests.

These easy and common sense tips should give confidence to the preparation of fish dinners at home. Fish is a delicious source of protein and should be included regularly in a healthy diet.

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Rice with Chicken Seasoning (2 Pack), 1 Box of Each Calico Blend and Multi Grain Medley

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Rice River Farms brings us two delicious rice combinations with a chicken seasoning that are easy to make. Choose from 2 boxes of the Multi Grain Medley, 2 boxes of the Calico Blend, or one box of each. A unique gift idea for your student that is gone to college. Don't forget it is a healthy side dish!

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Kitchen Survival: Shopping for Ingredients

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You've read your recipe. Now it's time to go shopping for all the ingredients to create your culinary masterpiece.

Make a list of what you need.
Do you have any ingredients in stock? Do you have enough for your recipe? Are the ingredients still fresh or have they spoiled? List what you're missing and how much you need. If you're just cooking for one or two, don't get the family packages of perishables unless you can freeze the extra and use it up before it gets freezer burn. Most dry spices keep quite a while, but can lose potency if stored in warm, damp areas.

Check the food ads.
See what's on sale. There's no sense in paying more than you have to. Consider how many people you're cooking for and how much refrigerator and freezer space you have. Nothing is a bargain if you can't store it long enough to cook and eat it. A large roast, for example, can be chopped into meal-sized pieces and frozen, or you can cook the whole thing, eat what you want, and save the rest for sandwiches, stews, casseroles, and snacks--if you have the refrigerator or freezer space to store it.

Using coupons: Coupons can save you money or cost you.
If the coupon is for something you would have bought anyway, it's worth using. If it's just a different brand, the coupon makes it cheaper than your regular brand, and you can't taste the difference, use it. If the only reason you're buying the product is to use the coupon, forget it! If it's something new that you'd like to try, and you don't have to buy a large quantity, look at the price and decide if it's worth the money to you. Go ahead and treat yourself occasionally. Little treats make it easier to stick to a healthy routine the rest of the time.

How much should you buy?
Most supermarkets have the prices marked on the shelves, and show a unit price on the ticket. Sometimes the larger package costs less per pound, or ounce, or whatever unit is used. Sometimes the smaller package is actually the better buy. Small calculators are so inexpensive nowadays that getting one to take shopping with you can save you money, especially when one brand, for example, lists the price per pound and another shows the per ounce price.

With foods that have to be frozen or refrigerated, or fresh fruits and vegetables that spoil quickly (known as "perishables") only buy as much as you can use before they perish. The fresher it is, the better the flavor and nutrition, so, even though you can keep a lot of stuff in the freezer for long periods, it's better not to keep it for more than a few weeks. (Keep track of what's in the freezer--date everything as it goes in--so that nothing gets buried in the back or bottom for years at a time.)

It's real easy to overbuy when things are on sale. Then you risk either having to eat so much of it that you can't stand the thought of it for a long time afterward, or being forced to throw out some of it when it spoils.

Are national brands worth the price? Are house or generic brands just as good as the national brands?

All of the major chain supermarkets have house brands or plainly packaged generic products. Some chains have both. Check out your local chains, try the house products, and decide for yourself when (or if) you want to spend a little more for the national brand. If you really prefer a national brand, especially in non-perishables, watch the ads, and when it goes on sale, stock up. Many of the house brands are made by the same companies that make the national brands. The only difference is that the supermarket chain buys in quantity, and the manufacturer has no advertising expense.

Staple supplies that every kitchen needs.
All-purpose flour, cornstarch (for thickening gravy), assorted noodles and pasta, rice, oils (vegetable, olive, peanut), vinegar (white wine, red wine, apple cider, plain distilled), canned soups (beef broth, chicken broth, tomato, cream of mushroom), assorted spices and flavorings (dried minced onion, oregano for Italian dishes, salt, pepper, any others you like.)Buy small quantities on new items and taste test before stocking up.

Other good things to keep on hand.
Canned meats and vegetables, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, favorite salad dressings, horseradish sauce, ready-to-eat cereal, quick cooking oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice, grits, gravy mixes, drink mixes, any other favorite foods.

With these basic pointers you should be well on your way to having a well stocked kitchen and great cooking experience.

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