Oven Paella with Chorizo, Clams and Shrimp
Paella cooks perfectly in the oven on a sheet pan, yielding moist rice topped with flavorful seafood and chorizo. Be sure to use Spanish chorizo, which has been dried and cured, rather than fresh Mexican chorizo, for this dish. You can find jarred piquillo peppers in most grocery stores, but if they are unavailable, roasted red bell peppers will do the trick.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (7 oz./220 g) Arborio rice
- 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp. saffron, crumbled
- 1 bay leaf, torn in half
- 3/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup (6 oz./185 g) canned chopped tomatoes, drained
- 2 roasted piquillo peppers, halved and sliced
- 1 link Spanish cured chorizo (about 6 oz./185 g), cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) pieces
- 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails intact
- 2 tsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 12 clams, scrubbed
- 2 Tbs. fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread the rice in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes. In a large liquid measuring cup, stir together the broth, saffron, bay leaf, paprika, garlic, shallot, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Pour over the rice and stir to combine. Return the pan to the oven, carefully top with an inverted sheet pan or cover loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover the pan.
Stir the tomatoes, peppers and chorizo into the rice. Using the back of a wooden spoon, spread the rice in an even layer and season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, toss together the shrimp and oil, and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the shrimp and clams all over the rice. Roast, uncovered, until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the clams open, about 12 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and any clams that did not open. Garnish with the parsley, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams Sonoma Sheet Pan Suppers (Weldon Owen, 2016)