Deconstructed Paella (Compressed Paella Rice, Manchego Croquette, Red Snapper, Shrimp, Mussel Bruschetta, Paella Broth Emulsion, English Pea Puree, Pea Tendrils)
Recipe courtesy of Keith Armstrong, Executive Chef, The Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, Va.
Ingredients
- For Compressed Paella Rice
- olive oil - 1 oz.
- large onion - 1/4, chopped fine
- chorizo sausage - 1 oz., small diced and with casing removed
- clove garlic - 1 each, minced
- rice - 2 ozs.
- red bell pepper - 1/4 medium, brunoise
- beefsteak tomato - 1/4 large, skinned, seeded, and small-diced
- paella shellfish broth - 5 ozs. (recipe follows)
- saffron - 1/4 tsp.
- turmeric - 1/4 tsp.
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- whole butter - 2 knobs
- heavy cream - 1 oz.
- gelatin - 2 sheets
- chives - 1 tsp., finely minced
- agar - 1/4 tsp.
- For Manchego Croquette
- whole butter - 1/2 oz.
- shallots - 1/2, julienne
- heavy cream - 2 ozs.
- manchego - 2 ozs., grated
- kosher salt - 1 tsp.
- gelatin sheets - 3, bloomed
- For Red Snapper
- red snapper - 4 pieces, cut into even squares with skin on
- butter - 4 knobs
- shallot - 1 Tbsp., fine brunoise
- garlic - 1 tsp., fine mince
- lemon - 1, cut in half and placed in bras
- chives - 1 Tbsp., finely minced
- kosher salt - to taste
- fresh ground pepper - to taste
- For Mussel Bruschetta
- mussels - 5, one half of the shell saved, to be served on the half shell
- butter - 2 knobs
- lemon - 1, cut in half and placed in bras
- Noilly Prat vermouth - 2 Tbsps.
- shallot - 1 Tbsp., fine brunoise
- garlic - 1 tsp., fine mince
- tomato - 1/2, brunoise
- red onion - 1/4, brunoise
- reggiano cheese - 1/4 Tbsp.
- basil chiffonade - 2 leaves
- kosher salt - to taste
- fresh ground pepper - to taste
- Solera vinegar - as needed
- For Paella Broth
- shallot - 1 each
- celery - 2 in.
- carrot - 2 in.
- tomato paste - 1 Tbsp.
- sherry vinegar - 1 oz.
- red wine - 1 oz.
- shellfish stock - 16 fl. oz.
- ham hock - 1 each
- bouquet garni - 1 each
- kosher salt - to taste
- fresh ground pepper - to taste
- soy lecithin liquid - as needed
- For English Pea Puree
- English Pea - 1/2 cup, out of the pod
- small cauliflower florets - 2
- Vitamin C powder - 1/4 tsp.
- whole butter - 2 knobs + 4 ozs.
- chicken stock - 3 ozs.
- kosher salt - to taste
- fresh ground pepper - to taste
Instructions
For Compressed Paella Rice:
- In small Staub pot, heat olive oil over moderate heat and sweat onion, bell pepper and garlic.
- Add chorizo, turmeric and saffron, and sweat to bring out color.
- Add rice to pan, toast and coat with oil.
- Add paella broth and cook covered over low heat (#3 induction) until rice is tender (about 10 minutes).
- While rice is cooking, bloom gelatin in 1 quart cool water.While rice is cooking, bloom gelatin in 1 quart cool water.While rice is cooking, bloom gelatin in 1 quart cool water.While rice is cooking, bloom gelatin in 1 quart cool water.
- Once rice is finished cooking, mount with butter and melt gelatin and agar into mixture.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For Manchego Croquette:
- Melt butter in small sauce pot; sweat shallots.
- Add salt, heavy cream and manchego; reduce by 10%.
- Remove from heat and incorporate the gelatin until dissolved.
- Place in small hemisphere molds.
- Set breading station with 1 cup AP flour, 6 eggs (beaten), and 2 cups herbed Panko double-bread croquettes.
- Fry at 350º F.
For Red Snapper:
- Place snapper on seasoning tray. Season skin side with salt and pepper. Dredge in cornstarch.
- Heat saute pan over high heat until pan smokes. Add oil to pan.
- Place snapper into pan skin side down, and sear until skin is deep golden brown in color.
- Add 2 knobs butter to pan; let melt and permeate underneath skin of snapper, then flip fish.
- Drain brown butter from pan; add 2 knobs fresh butter and cook until it foams.
- Deglaze with Noilly Prat vermouth; add chives to the top of the snapper and spoon butter and white wine over fish.
- Finish with fresh squeezed lemon juice; drain on paper towel, hold hot until plated.
For Mussel Bruschette:
- Heat saute pan until hot. Add mussels to pan, add butter and white wine, and cook until the mussel opens.
- Add shallot and garlic to pan; saute, then add tomato juice. Finish with cheese.
- In a small metal bowl, combine red onion, tomato, Reggiano, basil and Solera vinegar; season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add 1 tbsp. bruschetta mix to cleaned shell with mussel meat, and hold until plating.
For Paella Broth:
- Over a medium heat, sweat the shallot, celery and carrot, then season.
- Add the tomato paste and heat until cooked; deglaze with sherry vinegar and red wine.
- Add the ham hock, bouquet garni and shellfish stock, then cook over medium heat and reduce by half, then strain.
- Using an immersion blender, add the soy lecithin until the broth is emulsified and froth has been produced.
For English Pea Puree:
- Blanch English peas in blanching liquid that is fortified with Vitamin C powder, then shock.
- Puree English peas in vita prep and add the remaining 4 ozs. of butter.
- Heat the chicken stock and add as necessary, until desired consistency is achieved. Adjust seasoning if needed. Then tammis.
