Letters from Abroad, or Paella

     I am cooking for a crowd this week.  There are 11 people staying at my sister's place here in Southeast Alaska for a big event tomorrow and everyone wants dinner.  The event?  Re-dedication of the Kasaan clanhouse on Prince of Wales Island.  I am so looking forward to this!  In the meantime....Cooking for a crowd can be a bit of a challenge.  Individual meringues?  Not very practical.  A roast is though.  So are sourdough pancakes (this is Alaska: that sourdough is 100 years old and originated north of the Arctic Circle!).  We consumed a whole cake for dessert the first night, lemon tart last night.  The salmon was a hit.  It's moose kebabs on the barbecue tonight. 
     Dinner last night was the best so far.  We made paella.  This was done Alaska style, using marinated wild turkey, shrimp and chorizo sausage.  Oh my.  I confess that I brought some items up from Seattle.  Getting chorizo is a challenge in rural Alaska.  So are beefsteak tomatoes.  But the recipe is entirely worth repeating and if you serve a Spanish wine, and finish with a stellar lemon tart (my sister uses Richard Sax's The World's Best Lemon Tart (linked here if you scroll down:   http://forums.finecooking.com/cookstalk/im-looking-recipe/lemon-tart ) and a rousing and very competitive game of Clue you will be able to (almost) duplicate the experience we had last night.
     Paella is fairly forgiving:  in Spain it takes the form of the region, with rabbit, chicken, seafood and/or sausage being added depending on how close you are to the sea and what's available.  This rendition uses all of that, and isn't likely very strictly authentic, but it's great eating none the less.
The extra step of marinating the turkey surely added more flavor dimensions, and is worthwhile, but if you are pressed for time, or if picking shot out of the wild turkey takes too long, skip it!

Paella for a Crowd

serves 9 to 11, and see notes for a scaled down version

1 wild turkey (wing) or 1 chicken breast, shot removed and cut into 1/2 to 1" pieces

2T garlic, chopped finely

2T chopped oregano

2t salt

pepper to taste

1-2 t vinegar

Mix, let marinate while you go on a hike

5T olive oil

2 c finely chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 t paprika

1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, or about 1 1/2 c chopped tomato

1 t sugar 

3 1/2c rice.  Karen had Jasmine, but Arborio is traditional

1/2 t saffron

1 c dry white wine

5 1/2 c chicken broth

8 links chorizo

1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled 

1/2 c chopped parsley

1-2T chopped oregano

1.  It's easiest to have all ingredients chopped and prepared.  Mix wine with saffron while you are chopping, set aside.  You will need a a very large paella pan, or 2 fairly large shallow pans, and divide ingredients between them.  

2.  Saute onions, garlic, peppers in oil until onions are translucent.  Add paprika.  Add chorizo, marinated turkey and saute for a few minutes.  Add rice and saute for a few minutes.  Add tomatoes, sugar and then saffron infused wine, broth.  Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook until the moisture is absorbed.  When the moisture is absorbed, place the shrimp on top of the mixture, cover and continue to cook until the shrimp is no longer translucent.  

3.  Sprinkle parsley and oregano on top prior to serving.  

Notes:  Scaling down for 4 to 6

I would leave the chicken portion roughly the same

I would reduce the onions to 1 to 1 1/2 cups

Use 2 c rice, and 4 cups wine + broth

Use 4 chorizo links, 1 lb shrimp and possibly reduce the parley, depending on how much you like it.