Paella

 Wow, it's been a while! Chuck is no longer my boyfriend.... but my soon-to-be-husband!! (I don't really like "fiance") And this weekend we are celebrating two years since we met!  We wanted to do something fun this weekend because it's our meet-a-versery and it's the last weekend we are going to have before life gets very crazy.  Vacation and work travel taking nearly the whole month of August for him.  Work, my best friend's bachelorette party raft trip, and her wedding for me (and him).  Then we are heading out on a service trip to Guatamala at the end of September with Hormel Foods with Project Spammy. It's a full end to the summer. So today we headed to the Basque Block in Boise for the Basque Festival.

Boise has the largest Basque population outside of Basque Country in Spain.  There's a city block in Boise that has a museum, market, and a few restaurants.  This weekend they are having a big party, Basque music and dancers, the works!  I convinced Chuck to wander down there this morning and we both had a great time.  We started by getting drinks and watching the Boise fighters take on the police department in Sokatira (tug of war).  There was also a GIANT (100 serving) pan of paella being assembled by a couple of guys.  This caught our attention and we spent most of our time watching their techniques and listening to their explanations.

I learned how to make my version of paella in 2007 and had made it several times.  I was pretty excited that I was doing it the "right" way... for the most part.

After watching for a while and getting the scoop on the rice they used, we headed into the Basque market and purchased out very own, real deal, paella pan, aforementioned rice, and smoked paprika.  The rest of the ingredients we had at home or bought at Whole Foods.  We took breaks to go get more drinks, watch the live music, and wander around the block, but we kept swinging by the giant paella pan to see what they did next.  We were never in line for the paella.  It stretched for an entire block and we wouldn't have been able to see it all come together.

It was beautiful.

The rice looked like Arborio rice (used for risotto) but was Valencia rice.  It leaches less starch than Arborio and the guys making the paella said that unlike when you're making risotto and have to constantly stir your dish, this one you don't touch after you add the rice.  That was what initially sold Chuck.

Chuck was excited to try cooking this.  Mostly because he could put the pan on the grill and do the whole thing outside.


Paella

Ingredients:

4                Chicken thighs
1/2lb          Raw, uncooked chorizo
2 links       Smoked Chorizo, chopped
10 ea.         Shrimp 16/20

1                 Yellow onion, chopped
1                 Green Bell pepper, chopped
1                 Poblano pepper, diced
                   Roasted red peppers
1 1/2c.        Fresh Green beans
1                 Lemon, cut into slices 
4 cloves      Garlic
3 cups         Chicken stock
1 cup           White wine (we used a left over Savignon Blanc)
1 1/2c.         Valencia Rice (we bought it at the Basque Market, couldn't find at Whole Foods)

1/2 pinch    Saffron
                   Smoked Paprika
                   Garlic powder
                   Oregano
                   Salt
                   Pepper
                   Olive oil

Directions:

1:   Season shrimp with smoked paprika, salt and pepper.Season the chicken thighs with olive oil,
      smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper.  Grill until cooked, wrap in foil and set
       aside.

2:   Boil chicken stock and saffron for a couple of minutes until saffron pieces break apart.
3:   Place paella pan (or cast iron skillet) on the grill over medium heat. Add a little olive oil and both kinds of chorizo to the pan and let brown.  Once there are some drippings in the pan, push the chorizo to the sides and add the onions, green pepper, and poblano pepper to the middle.  Once the onion is translucent add the garlic.  Let cook for a few minutes and then stir it all together.

4:   Add 2 T olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper, 1T smoked paprika and mix it all together.  Then add the Valencia rice and stir together. Let sit for a few minutes, add the white wine, allow to rest a few minutes, add the saffron infused stock, and let it sit until about 3/4 of stock is absorbed.

5: Tear chicken into pieces and add to the pot, don't stir it in.

6:  Sprinkle green beans, roasted red peppers over the top. Then spread in the shrimp.  Tip from Chuck: If you want to add mussels or clams, add just before shrimp.  Place lemon slices.

7:  Allow to sit until all of the chicken stock has been absorbed and enjoy!

So tasty!

Grilled Pork Chops and Spanish Rice

Lots of things going on and changing for us.  We are being smarter with leftovers too... meaning there's not necessarily a big show of a meal as often.  Part of it is because I'm working now and I don't want to be eating dinner at 8pm when I have to be up before 5am the next day!

We had a pretty good weekend, despite the cold windy weather last weekend.  Friday night we caught the Idaho Steelheads' Kelly Cup playoff game and Saturday we played in the 13th Annual Snake River Rugby Golf Scramble.  It was freezing, but fun.  Sunday we had time to make a delicious dinner and I couldn't have been happier.

Chuck made a homemade dry rub for some bone-in pork chops and homemade Spanish rice.  We also had Gazpacho Salad, which I've posted before.

Dry Rubbed Bone-In Grilled Pork Chops

Ingredients:

     2 lg          Bone-in pork chops
     1 t            Chili Powder
     1 t            Cumin
     1 t            Cayenne Pepper
     1 t            Kosher Salt
     1 t            Black pepper

Directions:

     1:     Combine the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

     2:     Coat the pork chops in the spice mixture and refrigerate until 1/2 hour prior to 
                      cooking.

     3:     Grill chops to preferred doneness.

Spanish Rice

Ingredients:

     1 c.           Basmati rice
     1/2           Onion, diced
     1               Red Bell Pepper
     1               Poblano Pepper
     1               Garlic clove
     1               Chayote (it's kind of like a squash.potato, pictured below)
     15 oz can Diced tomatoes, with juice
     1 1/4c.      Chicken broth
     1 t             Smoked Paprika
     1 T            Sugar
                      Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
                      Kosher salt
                      Ground black pepper
                      Olive oil
                      Fresh Cilantro

 Directions:

     1:     Drizzle red bell and poblano peppers with olive oil and rub to coat.  Sprinkle with 
                   salt and pepper and grill. Tip from Chuck:  This adds smokiness and gets rid of 
                   the crunch.  Once the peppers have a nice char and the skin begins to break, 
                   remove from the grill and place in a bowl, covered, and let sit for about 10 
                   minutes.

      2:     Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add onions with a 
                    pinch of salt and pepper.  Once softened, add the chayote with another pinch of 
                    salt and pepper along with the paprika.

     3:     After the peppers have sweated for their 10 minutes, the skin should easily peel off.  
                    Remove the seeds, dice the peppers and add to the pan.

  
     4:     Add the tomatoes, garlic, rice, sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Stir together.

     5:     Stir in the chicken stock, cover, bring to a simmer then reduce heat and let cook for 
                     about 20 minutes. Tip from Chuck:  If the rice starts to dry out toward the end of 
                     cooking, you can add additional chicken broth.

  We had plenty of leftovers!  Monday night Chuck sliced up the leftover pork and had it on chibatta bread as open-faced sandwiches!

Honey Glazed Ham on Sweet Potato Biscuits

I had planned on posting this on Monday.  It's Friday.  Whoops!  It's been a busy but great week! 

We had these for Easter Brunch.  They took some preparation but it was quite the flavor combo and completely worth it... I thought.  Still, it was Chuck that was cooking while I was just there for moral support and record keeping.

This is not a recipe that either of us thought up on our own.  We saw it on Food Network's "Sandwich King" and thought it would be perfect. Here's the link to his recipe.  We can't take credit for the recipe but Chuck can definitely take credit for the execution!

We used a Hormel Quarter Honey Ham.  It was already sliced and Chuck placed it, and all of its juices in a pan over low heat, covered.  Letting it sit while you put together the biscuits and bake them will warm it up perfectly for this delicious breakfast sandwich.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients:

     1 lb                  Sweet potatoes
     2 T                  Buttermilk
     1/4 t               Ground nutmeg
                             Kosher salt
                             Fresh cracked black pepper
     2 1/2 c.           All purpose Flour
     3 T                  Brown sugar
     1 1/2 t            Baking soda
     1 1/2 sticks   Butter, divided

Directions:

     1:     Preheat oven to 375 degrees, poke some holes in the yams, place them on a lined 
                  baking sheet and bake for 75 minutes.  Remove from oven, peel, mash and 
                  refrigerate overnight.

     2:     Remove yams from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for about an 
                  hour.
     3:     Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a mixing bowl (we used the one that already had the 
                  yams in it), combine the yams, buttermilk, nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of 
                  pepper.

     4:     In another mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and another pinch of salt and 
                  pepper.

     5:     Cube one stick of butter and make sure it is very cold (we stuck it in the freezer for a 
                  few minutes).

     6:     Cut in butter to dry ingredients until it is in pea sized pieces, being careful not to 
                  handle too much.  Fold in the sweet potatoes.

     7:     Place your dough onto a floured surface and press to 3/4" thick.  Cut into biscuits 
                  and place in a seasoned and lightly oiled cast iron skillet.

  

     8:     Melt remaining 1/2 stick of butter and brush the top of the biscuits with the melted 
                  butter.  Bake for 15-18 minutes.

While those are baking, make the sauce to put on these little gems. 

Blackberry Balsamic Drizzle

Ingredients:

     12 oz.       Blackberry preserves (if you get the seedless kind you won't have to strain the 
                                                              sauce!)
     1/2 c.        Balsamic vinegar
     1/4 c.        Yellow mustard
     1/2           Habenero pepper, seeds and ribs removed (or a whole jalapeno)
     1 t             Pepper
                      Kosher salt

Directions:

     1:     Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and warm over low heat.

     2:     Once warm, whisk together and bring to a simmer and let reduce.

Easy, huh? 

Assemble the sandwiches by drizzling the balckberry sauce on the biscuits and add some ham.  The Sandwich King recommends adding arugula.

We ate these with hard boiled eggs that we had dyed the night before.  Yes, that's a Michigan State "S."

We were surprised to find that the Easter Bunny had visited overnight!