Paella Fried Rice

Rob made this last night ~ a break from beef, beeef, beef. He found the recipe on the main page of Epicurious. We thought we might make a couple changes next time, but it was a delicious one dish meal. Rob added prawns and asparagus to the original recipe.


"PAELLA" FRIED RICE

Remember, you absolutely cannot make delicious fried rice using freshly cooked rice! If you cook the rice yourself (a day to a week ahead), buy long-grain (Carolina) rice and follow the package directions for making drier rice.

Otherwise, use leftover Chinese take-out rice.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 35 min

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil(try infusing oil with saffron)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes (next time, try aleppo pepper)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 (3- to 4-oz) Spanish chorizo (spicy dried pork sausage) links, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
4 cups cold cooked rice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
10-oz package frozen peas
1/3 cup hulled (green) pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Added 6 jumpo tiger prawns and a cup of asparagus tips.
Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cumin and red pepper flakes, stirring, 1 minute. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened. Add chorizo and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until sausage begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add rice, crumbling it, and salt. Sauté, stirring, until some grains begin to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Add peas and sauté, stirring, just until peas are heated through. Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin seeds and cilantro.

Makes 4 servings.

Gourmet