Florida Citrus Paella

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 200 g tomato, seeded and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 900 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 4 links Spanish chorizo, cut into slices
  • 850 ml chicken broth
  • 250 ml Florida grapefruit juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron
  • 550 g long-grain rice
  • 450 g mussels, scrubbed well, beards removed, rinsed
  • 450 g raw large shrimp, peeled, de-veined
  • 150 g fresh or frozen peas, thawed if frozen
  • Minced fresh coriander, optional for garnish
  • Florida grapefruit wedges, optional for garnish

Preparation

Florida Citrus Paella


In skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil; add onion and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes or until softened. Add tomato, garlic, thyme, basil, cumin and bay leaf; cook for 5 minutes, or until almost all the liquid has evaporated; set aside.In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over moderately high heat until hot; add chicken breast strips and sear for 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly browned.Transfer chicken to a plate; reserve. Add chorizo to skillet; cook while stirring, until browned lightly on all sides; remove chorizo with a slotted spoon to the plate with chicken strips.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. In saucepan, bring chicken broth, grapefruit juice and saffron to a simmer. Place rice in 35-centimetre paella pan or a large, deep, ovenproof skillet; arrange chicken, chorizo and onion mixture on top. Arrange mussels and shrimp on top; add simmering broth mixture. Bake paella for 30 minutes.Do not stir paella during cooking.If mixture becomes dry, add more chicken broth. Add peas and bake paella for 10 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the mussels have opened. Let the paella stand, covered with a tea towel, for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with the coriander and grapefruit wedges, if desired.