Paella dinners always sell out at Magdalena’s, the popular pop-up Fort Worth supper club run by chef Juan Rodriguez. (Rodriguez is opening a tapas bar, La Coqueta, later this year.) For his version of the Spanish-inspired rice dish, he always uses top-quality rice and Spanish paprika along with seafood. It’s the ultimate one-pot meal perfect for a gathering.
Serves 8-10
SOFRITO
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 28-ounce can) whole peeled tomatoes
1 ancho pepper, reconstituted in water
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon Spanish sweet paprika
½ cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup chicken stock/broth
1 pinch saffron
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onions and red pepper in olive oil. Add tomatoes, ancho pepper and garlic. Stir for 2-3 minutes.
Add paprika, sherry vinegar and oregano. Stir. Add chicken broth and saffron. Reduce for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool mixture completely.
Puree with a standing or immersion blender. Return to pot and reduce. If puree is too thick, add chicken stock. Reduce an additional 20-30 minutes as needed to make at least 2 cups.
PAELLA
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup Spanish chorizo, diced
2 cups chicken thigh or chicken breast, cut into large dice
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
4 tablespoons garlic, chopped
2 cups Sofrito (see above)
2 cups paella rice(bomba or Valencia)
8 cups chicken stock
20 mussels, cleaned
12 shrimp, peeled,
cleaned and deveined
1 cup green peas (or more to taste), frozen
2 tablespoons oregano, chopped
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Lemon slices
Garlic aioli
Over medium-high heat, add olive oil to paella pan (you can also use a wide skillet). Add chorizo and chicken and sear.
Add onions, garlic and sofrito. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add rice and gently mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Spread in an even layer in the pan.
Slowly add chicken broth, pouring in circles over the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a medium simmer. Cook uncovered until liquid has reduced by half. Salt to taste. Add mussels, shrimp, peas, and oregano, but do not stir rice.
Continue to simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed (if dry, add more broth). Turn up the heat a bit to give the rice a crispy bottom crust but be careful not to burn it.
Remove pan from heat, cover with a lid or tin foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Fluff up the mixture a bit (all mussels should be open; discard those that aren’t), salt to taste and garnish with parsley and lemons. Top with a garlic aioli, if desired.
Find Magdalena’s at 502 Grand Ave., Fort Worth, magdalenastx.com.
