Paella with Soy Chorizo

Roasted Red Bell Pepper stuffed with Vegetable Paella, topped with Sauteed Onions and Soy Chorizo.

Notes

Recipes:

The Soy Chorizo is El Burrito SoyRizo. The Paella is adapted from the Veganomicon Saffron-Garlic Rice Recipe.

1. Start by prepping the rice. I followed the recipe instructions, omitting the optional almonds and adding some defrosted peas in the last ten minutes of cooking. Also, definitely use a non stick sauce pot for cooking and make sure you watch it carefully after adding the peas because the bottom of the dish transitions quickly from "socarrat" (crunchy, super flavorful grains that absorb the oil and garlic left over from sauteeing the vegetables) to "inedibly burnt."

2. Once the rice is cooking, turn your attention to preparing the rest of the meal. Hollow out half of a red bell pepper and roast it for 10 minutes on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven. Once you've got it in the oven, prepare the chorizo topping by chopping up some yellow onions and garlic and sauteeing it in a bit of olive oil over medium heat for about five minutes until lightly caramelized. Prepare the sausage by taking it out of the plastic casing, giving it a rough dice, and throwing it in the pan for five more minutes. Finally, plate the pepper, stuff it about 3/4 full with rice and then top with the chorizo mixture and serve immediately.

Tasting: I had initially envisioned preparing a more traditionally styled paella, intending to add the chorizo and bell pepper into the rice while cooking. However, the texture of the sausage was less firm than I expected and I worried about it breaking up while cooking. Also, the bell pepper was incredibly fresh and crisp, which contrasted with the starchy softness of the cooked rice and the chewy fattiness of the sausage. Moreover, I thought the contrast of the red chorizo and pepper with the yellow and green of the saffron and peas would generate more visual interest. The rice was flavorful, but mild enough to deflect some of the grease and heat from the chorizo topping. The light smokiness of the roasted pepper was also a welcome addition and rounded out the flavor profile in each bite.