Noshing Out – Annual Paella Party

With the sun going down, the last weekend of summer’s heat dissipated into a fall cool. When my girlfriend and I arrived we were greeted first by the smell of smokey chorizo giving up its fat to the paella, coating the bottom of the pan. Sangria and vino verde in hand, we stepped inside my friend’s condo, the party already in full swing.

Every year, my friends unveil their 3’ diameter paella pan, procure prime crustaceans, and prepare a wonderful meal. Appetizers, sides, dessert, and wine are brought by the dinner guests and we all nosh upon delicious, Spanish-inspired foods. We gathered on the porch, the propane tank fueling the blue flames as our host and chef built the paella part by part. Chicken, flavored with oregano and Spanish paprika sizzled as it hit the hot chorizo grease. Once cooked, it was removed and was replaced by rice and seafood along with a shellfish broth. The final addition was the archetypal spice of paella, saffron. One of the most costly spices, it imparts a complexity of flavor befitting the rice dish. Lid on, the shrimp, clams, and mussels steamed together with the rice and spices, a briny smell emanating from the pan. But it was the smell of toast, produced by the socarrat, the burnt rice at the bottom of the pan, that we waited for.

Once the socarrat was achieved, the chef finished adorning the dish with peas and red peppers and chunks of lobster that had already been cooked. The result was a beautiful panoply of colors and flavors, ready to be consumed. As we hungrily scooped the paella onto our plates, one of the other diners opened a bottle of French sancerre. Much like a sauvignon blanc, aromas of lemon and hibiscus came through on the nose of the light golden wine. Served iced cold, a light acidity sat on the palate, cleansing and refreshing me for the next bite.

Our plates and glasses were refilled as we talked over the clatter of shells being tossed into a bowl in the center of the table. Full of the famous Spanish coastal dish, I can’t thank the gracious chef/hosts enough for another amazing time with amazing friends.

Sangria

1 bottle fruit forward red wine – I like to use sirah or zinfandel, merlots and cabernet sauvignon often have too much tannin

1 green apple, chopped

1 red apple chopped – one of the few times I use red delicious

1 orange – peel on, cut into thin slices

* 1/3 C Peach schnapps

* 1 T lemon juice

* Pim’s or other berry flavored spirit

Add all ingredients, stir and chill. Sangria is always a taste, add, taste process. Variations (mango, pineapple, coconut, cranberry) abound. I suggest making it a few hours before service to let the fruit infuse the wine. Serve cold with a cube of ice and a small scoop of the fruit.