Being raised in a Portuguese home meant I was surrounded by the most amazing meals. There were no canned spaghetti and meatballs, and no frozen dinners. (There was also no peanut butter and fluff sandwiches…but I guess I forgive them for that.) Food was prepared with fresh ingredients and with recipes handed down from generation to generation. A while back I created a cookbook filled with family recipes for my girls to use when they have their own families. I’m hoping to instill the joy of cooking together, sitting down to share a meal, and laughing over great conversations at the dinner table. This Portuguese Paella is perfect for Christmas Eve, Christmas day or New Years Eve. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Portuguese Paella
Ingredients:
¼ cup good olive oil (never buy the cheap stuff)
1 tablespoon paprika
2 sage leaves (whole)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 cloves of garlic (crushed or finely chopped)
1/3 cup fresh parsley, (chopped)
1 medium sweet onion (chopped)
3 slices of bacon (chopped)
2 cups of chopped tomatoes
About 3 cups chicken broth (Use less if you don’t want a lot of broth)
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups Arborio rice
1 Lb. chorizo sausage
4 lobsters
2-3 Lbs. littleneck clams (scrubbed)
2 Lbs. mussels (**optional- I didn’t use these this time)
2 lbs. whole shrimp (peeled and deveined)
Some people also put chicken in it or cod fish but my family never did so I don’t use it.
- In a lobster pot, cook the lobsters. Remove from water and let cool. (For a shortcut, you can have your grocery store cook them for you.) Remove the tails and claws. I remove the shells from the tails and chop them in 3-4 pieces. I like to leave the claws whole. I also throw in some of the legs since my girls like them.
- Cook the rice according to the package and set aside.
- Place a large pan over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, heat the chorizo and bacon. Cook until they are browned and then remove them to a plate.
- Sauté the onion, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper for about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for about 7 minutes.
- Put the cooked chorizo back in. Add the chicken broth, wine, mussels, shrimp, and clams. Cover the pan and cook about 10-15 minutes until the clams open. Add the lobster back in and cook about 5 minutes to warm it up.
- Remove the sage leaves and sprinkle with parsley.
- You can then put the rice into the paella mixture (the traditional way of serving it) or use the rice as a side.
My family is from NY and they have wonderful Portuguese markets there. When they visit they often bring us yummy treats. One of them is a cornmeal bread called broa. The outside of the bread is very crusty and the inside it a thick bread that is very filling. Any crusty bread would be good to serve with this meal.
Another tasty treat is Sumol, a Portuguese soda that comes in pineapple or orange flavor. It always reminds me of spending time in Portugal.
A good Portuguese white wine pairs well with this meal. My grandfather and most of my uncles would make their own wine, and it was usually red, so they may disagree with me on this one. To them, no Portuguese meal is complete without homemade wine.
Since there are no Portuguese markets near us, I like to order certain items from Portugalia Marketplace in Falls River, MA. They have a nice selection and everything is fresh when it gets here.