Blackened Shrimp and Sausage Paella

Paella may seem complicated, convoluted, and all-around difficult to make, but, trust me, it isn’t. Think of it as building something, starting simply from the ground up and adding the ingredients layer by layer. This is from an earlier, similar recipe:

To me, paella is one of the best—and most inviting—examples of food architecture. You start with a good base and then build. The ingredients of this classic Spanish dish all come together in one pan, and when it’s finished, you have a beautiful, flavorful, and wonderfully constructed dinner.

Traditional paella typically includes three proteins: chicken, pork (sausage), and seafood. However, as with any cuisine’s favorite, there are many varieties—for instance, all seafood, or just chicken and pork, or sausage and seafood, you get the picture—but there are two must-haves: rice and saffron.

Saffron—the dried red stigmas of the crocus—is one of the most expensive spices on the market because of the large number of flowers it takes to produce a small quantity of the stigmas. The good news is that you need very little in any recipe, as its musky scent and slightly bitter flavor can overpower a dish quickly (and turn everything orange-yellow) if you use too much. Only a few dollars worth of saffron threads will last typically three to four years when stored in an airtight container away from bright light and heat.

For the meat here, I used kielbasa sausage and shrimp. Blackening the shrimp is super easy, and it adds extra smoky flavor to the overall dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more
• 1/2 tsp ground chile powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• sea salt
• 1/2 lb large shrimp peeled, deveined, and cut lengthwise in half
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup petite-diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup long-grain white rice, soaked in water 30 minutes, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup green peas (thawed, if frozen)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green olives
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads, crumbled
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 lb fully cooked smoked sausage (such as kielbasa), thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Sliced Kielbasa

Preparation

1. Combine 1/2 tsp black pepper, chile powder, and cumin in a bowl and season with salt. Add the shrimp and toss well to coat.
2. Heat a paella pan or large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the shrimp and sear, stirring a few times, until just done, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Blackening Spices

Spice-Rubbed Shrimp

Shrimp Beginning to Cook

Blackened Shrimp

1. Reduce the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and onion and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, rice, peas, olives, and saffron and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and cook 2 minutes.
3. Add the broth, wine, sausage, and paprika to the pan. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook slowly until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 20-25 minutes. Stir in the blackened shrimp and cook 2 minutes.

Garlic Mixture Beginning to Cook

Tomato Mixture Added

Broth Mixture Added

Cooked Rice and Sausage Mixture

To serve, arrange heatproof padding in the center of the table. Place the pan on the padding and let guests serve themselves.

Blackened Shrimp and Sausage Paella