Spicy Paella with Chile, Lime, and Cilantro
Anaheim’s are very popular in Southwestern US Cuisine.Also called “New Mexican Chile”. These were developed by Dr. Fabian Garcia in New Mexico about 100 yrs ago who was seeking a chile pepper that was bigger, fleshier, and milder.
They got the name “Anaheim” when a farmer named Emilio Ortega brought these seeds to the Anaheim area in the early 1900’s. This chile can be roasted and peeled and used in recipes or stuffed to make chile rellenos just as the Poblano Chile.
Ingredients:
Broth:
1 dried New Mexican or Anaheim chile
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
Herb Blend:
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Paella:
24 unpeeled large shrimp (about 2 pounds)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 (3.5-ounce) andouille sausages or chicken sausages with habanero chiles and tequila (such as Gerhard’s), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups finely chopped red bell pepper
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
8 lime wedges
Instructions:
To prepare the broth, remove stem and seeds from chile. Combine the chile, cumin, cinnamon, and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor and process until minced. Combine chile mixture and broth in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
To prepare herb blend, combine cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and 2 garlic cloves. Set aside.
To prepare paella, peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact and set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large paella pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add sausages and sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Add shrimp and sauté 2 minutes. Remove from pan. Add bell pepper and onion, and sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini and sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, paprika, salt, and 3 garlic cloves cook 5 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
Add rice and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, herb blend, sausages, and corn. Cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Arrange shrimp, heads down, in rice mixture and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover with a towel, and let stand 10 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.
Cooking Light
MAY 2000