Paella is Therapy

Is going to therapy like taking a cooking class? Does it help you better understand both your ingredients and the way you use them? This is a great example of art imitating life. If I'm using the wrong size pan to cook my paella, it will always overflow. So what do I do if I take on too much at once? Do I need to cut the recipe in half, or buy a bigger pan?

Ask a chef or a therapist and the answer will be the same. Try to perfect a smaller recipe before you take on a larger dish. Take care and pay attention to the amounts you put into life and your dishes. Too much of one spice overwhelms the taste of the other flavors. You might get all hot and bothered for a few unbeatable bites, but ingredients are meant to compliment each other not drown each other out. Whether it's work, love or food, we need balance to let each individual flavor shine and serve its purpose.


Paella:

Ingredients
1 pinch saffron
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 pound chorizo sausage, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 pound boneless chicken parts, preferably skin, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade, and minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups white rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/2 pound (21 to 25 size) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

Directions
Add the saffron to 1/2 cup warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes to allow it to "bloom."

Heat the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat in an 8 quart saute pan, brown the chorizo on all sides and remove to a utility platter. Brown the chicken pieces and remove to the same platter.

Add the onion to the pan and saute until translucent, then add the garlic and gently cook until softened, monitoring to make sure it doesn't burn. Add the white wine and allow most of it to evaporate. Stir in the paprika, parsley, 1/2 cup of bloomed saffron, and chicken stock, and bring to a gentle boil. Return the chorizo and chicken to the pan. Stir in the rice, salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered without stirring for about 20 minutes, then add the mussels and cover. Let cook until the mussels open, about 7 minutes, then remove them to a utility platter. Add the shrimp to the pot, cover, and cook until they turn pink and opaque, about 5 minutes, then remove the shrimp to a utility platter.

Spoon the paella into a large bowl and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Arrange the shrimp and mussels on top.