Spoken of in tones of hushed awe around the MAKE office, Gerard's paella is easy to make.
There’s never a dull moment when Gerard Nebesky arrives on the scene. With his giant paella pans, buckets of ocean-fresh seafood, baskets of farm fresh vegetables, plus assorted knives, spatulas, platters and bowls, Gerard travels with all the ingredients required to create a major culinary event. Add heaping portions of Gerard’s own personal charm and dazzling energy, and you have a truly memorable food experience.
Serves 6-9.
Heat a 12″ heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, red bell pepper, and Nora chile and sauté until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and remove from pan.
Place chicken in pan, skin side down, and season with salt. Brown thoroughly on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Add onions and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 12 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes and cook until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Crush the saffron and smoked paprika in a mortar and pestle, then stir into the sauce.
Add the clams, and remove them as they open, about 5-10 minutes.
Pour the rice evenly into the pan and let it settle to the bottom, do not stir. Nestle the shrimp, mussels, green beans, and chickpeas into the paella. Adjust the heat to maintain a brisk simmer.
Turn the shrimp to cook them thoroughly. Arrange the bell peppers and fish on top. Add lemon wedges and parsley.
Allow the rice to cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20-30 minutes. If you need more liquid, add more chicken stock.
Let stand 5 minutes, then drizzle with olive oil. Serve and enjoy!
In addition to his traditional chicken and shrimp paella, Gerard also whips up a vegan version in one of his other giant paella pans, the largest of which actually has a trailer hitch and wheels so it can be transported.
