Paella for Two

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cup Valencia or Arborio rice
• 8 ounces boneless
• Salt and pepper
• 2 1/2 ౼2¾ cups chicken broth
• 3 ounces Spanish dry-cured chorizo sausage
• saffron threads
• 6 ounces extra-large shrimp
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• Lemon wedges

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in wine, tomato paste, garlic, paprika, and bay leaf and cook until liquid evaporates and mixture looks oily, 2 to 4 minutes.

2. 2

   Stir in rice and cook until grains are well coated with tomato mixture, about 1 minute. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Stir in broth (2½ cups for Valencia rice, 2¾ cups for Arborio); chorizo; saffron, if using; chicken; and ⅛ teaspoon salt.

3. 3

   Bring to strong simmer and continue to cook, uncovered, over medium heat until liquid level falls just below surface of rice but paella still looks wet, 10 to 14 minutes. (After first 5 minutes of simmering, do not stir or paella will become starchy.)

4. 4

   Season shrimp with salt and pepper and nestle halfway into rice. Continue to cook until shrimp are mostly pink and all liquid has been absorbed, 4 to 7 minutes longer (paella will crackle and pop when liquid is absorbed).

5. 5

   To develop crust (socarrat) on bottom of paella, continue to cook until crackling and popping sounds become more pronounced, while occasionally rotating skillet over heat for even browning, 3 to 5 minutes. At this point, shrimp should be almost completely pink and paella should look dry on top.

6. 6

   Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 3 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and drizzle with extra oil.