Paella Party!!!!

To celebrate Miki-san's purchase of a new paella pan ordered specially from Spain, Cafe Drake popped over to Cafe M to help inaugurate her new cookware. Berry watched as we assembled the quintessential Spanish one-pot dinner, while Miki provided tasty snacks and wines to fuel the creative process (including a delish crab and chickpea salad!).

We began by browning chicken pieces in olive oil, seasoning the poultry with salt, pepper and oregano. The bird was removed from the pan and replaced with slices of spicy chorizo, which we browned for a few minutes before adding saffron threads, chicken stock, white wine, rice, olives, onions and peppers and cooking all for 20 minutes, covered. Next, sliced calamari and whole shrimp were tucked into the rice along with the reserved chicken and all baked in at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until moist but nicely crusty on top and bottom.