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Summer Garden Paella

This is perfect for a weeknight meal. It uses summer garden veggies but you can use anything you find fresh at the farmer's market. It has that lovely spanish paella flavor from the paprika spiced sausages and saffron. I keep portugese linguica sausages in the freezer so it's always on hand. I've used white basmati rice in this rather than the heavier short grain valencia or arborio rice to make it a more everyday meal. This will serve 4 with a side salad and small starter - try sautéed padrone peppers or fig manchego wraps.

What you need

  1. 1 cup white basmati rice
  2. 1/2 lb. portugese linguica or spanish chorizo (not mexican chorizo), sliced
  3. 1 sweet onion, peeled and diced
  4. 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  5. 1 or 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  6. 2 cups chicken broth
  7. 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
  8. 1 tsp kosher salt
  9. 1 tsp spanish paprika
  10. 1 pinch saffron threads
  11. Splash white wine
  12. Olive oil
  13. 1 cup diced or sliced fresh zucchini
  14. 1-2 cups fresh green beans, whole or cut up
  15. 1 cup fresh (or frozen) green peas
  16. 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  17. 1 lemon

How to make it

  1. Heat a 10 inch cast iron skillet or paella pan over medium heat
  2. Sauté sausage pieces in olive oil until lightly browned
  3. Remove sausage to a bowl and add 1/2 tsp kosher salt, onion and red pepper to the now seasoned oil in the pan
  4. Sauté until softened
  5. Add garlic, paprika and saffron and stir - cook about 1 minute
  6. Add rice and stir to coat well with oil
  7. Add a splash of white wine
  8. Add broth and parsley and stir
  9. Cook uncovered over medium low heat at a simmer about 10 minutes
  10. Add sausage, squash and beans and continue at a simmer until rice has absorbed liquid (Taste rice and if too firm, add about 1/2 cup water)
  11. When rice is al denté, squeeze in a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice, cover loosely and reduce heat to low
  12. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes until rice has caramelized on the bottom of the pan

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