2000s Recipes + Menus

Quick Paella

Serves6
  • Active Time:10 min
  • Start to Finish:25 min
February 2006
This version may not be strictly traditional, but garlic, kielbasa, shrimp, clams, and saffron bring the flavors of paella together in a satisfying way.
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen onions and bell peppers (6 oz)
  • 1 lb kielbasa (not low-fat), quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (1 cup)
  • 2 cups instant long-grain white rice such as Uncle Ben’s
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (10 fl oz)
  • 1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
  • 20 frozen cleaned raw medium shrimp such as Contessa brand
  • 1 1/4 lb cockles or other very small (1-inch-wide) hard-shelled clams, scrubbed
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup small pimiento-stuffed green olives
  • Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking, then sauté garlic and frozen onions and peppers, stirring, until garlic and onions are golden, about 2 minutes. Add kielbasa and cook, stirring, until kielbasa is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add rice, wine, broth, saffron, and shrimp and cook, covered and undisturbed, over high heat until most of liquid is absorbed and shrimp are cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in cockles, peas, and olives and cook, covered, until cockles open wide, 2 to 4 minutes. (Discard any cockles that remain unopened after 4 minutes.) Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until all liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
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