ANOTHER PAELLA...STILL BEGINNER'S LUCK?

I just knocked off the February Paella...

...and I've already broken the rules.

Rules:
8 taste-testers,  4 bottles Spanish wine  

February Paella:
15 taste-testers, 1 bottle Spanish wine.

This will mean uncorrupted palates, uncorrupted minds...double the pressure!

Crap!

But I had to break 'em.  It was The Father's birthday celebration:  A Family.  A Hike.  A Paella.   

So this is the family that ate the Paella.

...disguised to protect the innocent

Disney, Juicy, Daphne, R, SisterLee, J, The Father, The Mother, A2'd, Ricky, K, Lucy, Her Highness, The Smallest Dog in the World, and A
(From Left to Right, Back to Front)

Respectively:  Bro-IL, Sister, Bro-IL, Nephew, Sister, Niece, The Father, The Mother, Niece, Brother, Nephew, Sis-IL, Daughter, Dog, Son

....and Me (not pictured)

Not to say that this family is the family that went on the hike. 

Here were some of the excuses:

We have to clean the house
We have to attend an afternoon party
We have to go to Disneyland
Our legs only work after cocktail hour

So only a few of us fared the hike.  The Father, The Mother, Daphne, R, Her Highness, A and Me.  Oh, and The Smallest Dog in the World.  It was a beautiful hike!

However, the focus for me was on that Paella.  After all, it was a Birthday Paella and I only have made one other.  The Mother's "consolation" of "Beginner's Luck" was ringing between my ears...and I felt the pressure of competition with another one of The Mother's new recipes, which inexplicably ALWAYS turns out incredibly tasty the first time.  Oh, yeah...'cause Beginner's Luck.  Her brand new recipe:  Seafood Chili......and with Lobster!! 


Double that "Crap!"

Prior to traveling out to the folks house...actually, prior to the day before traveling out to the folks house, I choose the recipe...or rather recipe(s).  I decide to go to the First Stop Recipe Shop of the 21st Century - The Food Network, online. 

I choose a Rachel Ray Paella because of the title word, "Perfect."  From that, I take the sprigs of thyme and the bell pepper.

I choose an Emeril Legasse Paella because of the title word "Mixta." From that, I take the 16 chicken thighs and his Essence recipe to coat the chicken.

I choose a Paula Deen Paella because of the title word "Spanish."  From that, I take diced tomatoes, but fresh and chirozo.

I base the Paella on a Food Network All Rights Reserved recipe...because, of course, of the disclaimer words "All Rights Reserved."

THIS MONTH IT'S GOING TO BE A
SPICY CHICK-OZO PAELLA

Sunday morning, I prepare ingredients at home.  We drive.  We hike. We eat.....snacks.
Half-hour countdown to proceed with cooking.

4:00 pm BBQ.  A gas BBQ.  Not a charcoal BBQ.  Fine.

I fry the chicken, both sides, 16 pieces...in the paellaer.  Takes more time than expected.  Off schedule. 

I fry the sausage...in the paellaer.  More time than expected.  Off schedule.

SisterLee, Ricky and Lucy walk in.  They take a pour of the wine.

The Father keeps me company.  It's his BBQ, his domain.  He turns down the heat.  I turn up the heat.  He turns down the heat.  I turn up the heat.  He leaves to take a pour of the wine.  I win!

I saute the veggies...in the paellaer.

Juicy and Disney walk in.  They take a pour of the wine.

Where's my pour of the wine?  No one wants to give me a pour of the wine...I'm making the Paella, and they know it's the second Paella.  Possibly the No-More-Beginner's-Luck Paella?

In goes the rice...3 stirs.  In goes the broth...3 shakes.  And the paella is on it's way! 

Before anyone can notice, I take a pour of the wine and scurry back outside.  A little broth.  A little more broth. A shake or two.  Add the chicken.  Add the sausage.  A little more broth.  And throw some asparagus on there for good luck!  And 40 minutes later...

It's a Paella!

...and the birthday boy thinks it looks gorgeous!

...or did he say fabulous?

...or did he say beautiful?

...no, he must have said fantastic!!!

After taking silly pictures...

Like this one...

...we sit down with the Big Salad, Seafood Chili, and Paella.  We open the Spanish wine.  We drink the wine. We eat the food.  Surprise!  It is Muy Delicioso! The chicken is extraordinary.  The rice is cooked kinda-perfectly-ish.  Perfect except it never made it to crispiness, like how the Paella is supposed to be...according to the Spanish friend. 

Her Highness and A are happy.  They like this one better than the last.  I get the unhesitated thumbs up from Juicy.  A "great chicken" from Disney.  And "yummy" mumbles and raves from the rest of the table.  Obviously, my Beginner's Luck has not yet reached it's statute.

And, of course, the Seafood Chili is fabulous....Beginner's Luck!

Bellies are full.  People are happy.  We laugh.  The Father opens gifts.  We laugh some more.  And laugh and laugh and laugh.  Enter the Birthday Cake.  Better than Sex, it's called.  First time recipe for The Mother. 

It is almost better than sex! 

Again, Beginner's Luck! 

Ciao for now!
k

If you want to check out the recipe, go to In Pursuit of Perfect Paella under my blog favorites
or inpursuitofperfectpaella.blogspot.com