Lobster and Shrimp Paella

Firstly, let me apologize for my extended absence.    We have been travelling a ton and life has just gotten a bit crazy... Whenever C goes out of town, it is a seafood extravaganza around here.  I had originally planned on making paella for a dinner party, one seafood and one chicken & sausage.  I decided that might have been a lofty goal, so I decided to make it for Miss F and my parents one night while C was out of town for work.  This paella couldn't be any easier, it is brimming with shrimp and lobster, which are the standouts of paella for me.  Now that I know how easy it is to make, I will be making this for a dinner party in the future.  This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten.

Lobster and Shrimp Paella

¼ cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic
2 cups white rice
5 cups chicken broth
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 lobster tails, split in half
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup white wine
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven, add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the rice, chicken broth, tomatoes, saffron, red pepper, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the lid, stir the rice gently and nestle the lobster tails and shrimp into the rice and sprinkle with the paprika. Return the pot, uncovered, to the oven and bake for 15 minutes more. Return the pot to the stove top over medium heat. Stir in the wine and peas, stir until the wine is absorbed. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve, garnished with lemon wedges.

Pin It Now!

Chicken, Broccoli and Tomato Fettuccine

This originally started out as a lemon and chicken pasta, but a steal on grape tomatoes (99 cents a package) and broccoli (49 cents a pound) totally changed the game plan.  I used my Fasta Pasta and in the 17 minutes it took the fettuccine to cook, dinner was done.  Dice up some chicken, pull apart some broccoli heads and that is really all the heavy lifting this meal takes.  Some of the tomatoes burst as the sauce cooks, adding a really light tomato flavor to it, complete perfection.  C and Miss F picked out their tomatoes, but they were happy with the sauce nonetheless.  Ah well, all the more for me.

Chicken, Broccoli and Tomato Fettuccine

12 ounces fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 head broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 container grape tomatoes
1 clove garlic
¼ cup white wine
½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup half and half
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Prepare the fettuccine per package instructions, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, broccoli, tomatoes and garlic to the pan, sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Whisk together the chicken broth and corn starch. Pour the broth mixture and half & half into the pan, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and fettuccine. Serve.

Pin It Now!