Author Notes
I have experimented with aioli over the years finding that the raw garlic and olive oil were a bit aggressive for my taste so I came up with this recipe and serve it over Paella. Paella in general is pretty labor intensive so I took a recipe and trimmed it a little so that it's a bit easier to make. The aioli on the paella is so delicious and adds richness and depth of flavor. I make the aioli in a blender instead of whisking not because I am lazy CTS prevents me from holding a whisk for a long tine, had to devise a way to do it without using my hand, You of course can use your favorite paella recipe adding lobster,mussels, clams , etc. —sdebrango
Ingredients
- The Aioli
-
3-4
large cloves of garlic (3 if you want it subtle and 4 for stronger garlic flaror)
-
1/2 teaspoon
Sea Salt
-
2
Egg yolks
-
1/4 cup
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
-
1 teaspoon
Lemon Zest
-
Freshly ground white or black pepper
-
1/2 cup
Vegetable Oil (Canola works well)minus 2 tbs
-
1/4 cup
2 tbs olive oil.
-
A generous pinch of saffron
- Paella with saffron rice
-
3 cups
Long grain white rice
-
6 cups
Chicken stock to cook the rice heated.
-
1
Onion
-
2 tablespoons
Butter
-
2 tablespoons
Olive Oil
-
6
Chicken thighs
-
8
Large shrimp cleaned and deveined
-
8
Sea Scallops
-
1/2 pound
Chorizo (or any sausage of your choosing)
-
1 cup
frozen peas
-
1/14 cup
Chicken Stock for paella
-
A generous pinch of saffron for the rice.
Directions
- The Aioli
-
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, while oven is heating peel 4 large cloves of garlic place on aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil and make a packet. Place on sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes or until garlic is soft.
-
Let garlic cool, while it's cooling squeeze and zest the lemons. Add the generous pinch of saffron to the lemon juice and let sit for approx. 10-15 minutes the lemon juice will turn a lovely vibrant yellow.
-
In your blender place the garlic cloves,egg yolks, lemon juice w/saffron, lemon zest, salt,pepper. Blend until garlic is completely incorporated it doesn't take long as the garlic is soft.
-
With blender running slowly add the oil the mixture will become thick. Adjust seasoning if you desire.Refrigerate while you make the Paella. This can be made in advance it keeps for 2-3 days in refrigerator.
- Paella with saffron rice
-
First make the saffron rice.
Heat the olive oil and butter in large saucepan, add onion and cook until soft and translucent, add the rice and stir to coat. Add the saffron to the heated stock and add to the rice, let it come to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan and let cook for approx. 15 minutes. Remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Set the rice aside.
-
Season the chicken thighs place in baking pan, drizzle with olive oil and bake in 450 degree oven for 30 minutes.
-
Heat a fry pan coated with olive oil and saute your shrimp careful not to overcook just until they turn pink. Remove Shrimp add a little more olive oil and saute the scallops until browned on each side approximately 1 min per side.
-
You can use the same fry pan to fry the sausage until browned.
Now you are ready to put the paella together.
-
If you have a paella pan thats wonderful but if you are like me and do not use a large fry pan with a lid. Coat the large pan with Olive Oil and place on stove top on medium heat. Add the saffron rice and peas mix to incorporate the peas with the rice, then start layering. Add the chicken thighs, sausage, shrimp and scallops Pour the chicken stock over the paella, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped parsley and drizzle with the aioli.
I have loved to cook for as long as I can remember, am self taught learning as I go. I come from a large Italian family and food was at the center of almost every gathering. My grandfather made his own wine and I remember the barrels of wine in the cellar of my grandfathers home, I watched my mother and aunts making homemade pasta and remember how wonderful it was to sit down to a truly amazing dinner. Cooking for me is a way to express myself its my creative outlet. I enjoy making all types of food but especially enjoy baking,
I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I share my home with my two dogs Izzy and Nando.
I like to collect cookbooks and scour magazines and newspapers for recipes. I hope one day to organize them.
See what other Food52ers are saying.