12617 Paella Pie Makes one 12-inch pie Wed Aug 06 07:38:24 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 04:38:23 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12617 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:38:23 GMT Well, you could certainly argue the point that this is barely pie, save for the serving dish. Even so, skeptics will hush with concentrated pleasure when they taste the exquisite harmonies of shellfish, chorizo sausage, saffron rice, and manchego cheese. Leave the arguments to someone else!

This pie is best eaten the same day it is made.

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  • Anytime from 1 to 4 hours before cooking, make a brackish brine of 2 cups water and the salt to soak the cockles and mussels. Soaking them allows them to expel any grit inside them. Too much salt in the brine can kill the shellfish, so take care to measure. The shellfish should be kept alive until it's time to steam them or they won't open up.
  • Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the onion and peppers and sauté until tender. Add the chorizo and stir. When the sausage heats up, add the tomatoes. This mixture is called the sofrito, the flavor base of the paella. Stir it occasionally over low heat as you prepare the shellfish.
  • Drain the shellfish, and rinse well. Debeard the mussels. In a separate skillet, heat ½ cup water over medium-high heat until steaming. Add the cockles and mussels and cover. Check after 1 minute. When individual shells just begin to open up, pull them out of the liquid and cool in a bowl. Discard any shellfish that do not open. When all the shells are out, add the shrimp to the pan. Cook them a minute, until just pink. Remove to the plate of shellfish and cool. Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Refrigerate the seafood and liquid.
  • Add the chicken to the sofrito and sauté it until it turns opaque. Then add the rice and stir briefly. Add the saffron and stock, stir, and then cover and simmer on low. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Turn off the heat but leave the lid on.
  • Meanwhile, shuck the cockles and mussels and discard the shells. Peel the shrimp and devein by running a knife (about ⅛ inch deep) along the outside curve to expose the bluish-gray vein. Remove the vein and discard it. Do not rinse any of the seafood (rinsing would diminish the flavor). Refrigerate, covered, until needed.
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Combine the ¼ cup of the parsley and 1 cup of the cheese with the rice mixture. Add the seafood and its cooking liquid to the rice. Stir. Pour the filling into a large 12-inch round ceramic or glass pie plate.
  • Prepare the Topping: In a small sauté pan, melt the butter and add the crumbs. Sauté briefly. Add the remaining 1 cup cheese and the 3 tablespoons parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture evenly on top of the paella.
  • Bake the pie on a lipped baking sheet for 20 minutes, or until the topping is melted and brown. Serve immediately.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Ron Silver and Jen Bervin 50 Main 2 cups water

    ]]>     2 tablespoons salt

    ]]>     8 tiny cockles or littleneck clams

    ]]>     8 mussels

    ]]>     2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

    ]]>     4 teaspoons minced garlic

    ]]>     1 cup diced red onion

    ]]>     1 cup chopped red, green, or yellow bell pepper

    ]]>     2½ cups chorizo sausage, cut into

    ]]>     ½-inch slices

    ]]>     1½ cups diced fresh tomatoes

    ]]>     6 fresh jumbo shrimp

    ]]>     ½ cup water

    ]]>     8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in strips crosswise

    ]]>     1½ cups Spanish rice (long-grain white rice)

    ]]>     ½ teaspoon (about 6 to 8 strands) saffron

    ]]>     1½ cups Chicken Stock (page xx)

    ]]>     ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

    ]]>     1 cup grated Manchego cheese

    ]]>     4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

    ]]>     2 cups Japanese bread crumbs (panko) or grated stale French bread

    ]]>     1 cup grated Manchego cheese

    ]]>     3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

    ]]>     1 teaspoon salt

    ]]>     ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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