Paella...and lotsa wine...

[BigAsh]

Annual Labor Day WineFest at my place...each year I choose a wine region and guests bring a bottle or 2 from there...I cook a main dish and some apps and cheese to go with the theme...this year was SPAIN, what better excuse to get a giant 26 in Paella pan!

Set up pan on the fryer burner (which I wouldn't do again...heat was too centric in the middle and created some challenges with constantly moving pan...next time over open fire pit...live and learn!)

First browned about 1lb cured Spanish chorizo in some olive oil...



Then 6 lbs cut up chicken thighs which were seasoned with s/p and smoked paprika...in the residual fat renderings from the chorizo...building flavor base...



Then 3 chopped spanish onion, some garlic and crushed tomatoes....cooked in the renderings til nice and thick...the "sofrito"...



When the sofrito was ready, added the star...5 lbs of bomba rice...



Cooked rice with sofrito for a couple minutes to coat, then added meat back in, some squid and 5 qts. of saffron infused chicken stock, some smoked paprika and salt...