Paella! More from Barcelona...

Spanish cuisine is definitely diverse, and each region has it's own local flavors, but the most well-known and uniqely Spanish dish has to be the classic rice dish, Paella. Originally from the south east, in Valencia, this savory mix of rice and meat, chicken and/or seafood, has become synonymous with Spain. Some say this is the Spanish national dish, although Valencia likes to claim it as their own!

After a day of touring around Barcelona, ogling the colorful and amazing Antonio Gaudi buildings, like the incredible Casa Batllo and the incomparable Parc Guell (I can't! with the unruly spanish hair! so sorry...), you will undoubtably be starving for a steaming dish of Paella. There are so many restaurants that claim to have the "best Paella", that I would defer to your hotel concierge and get a few good recommendations (and there's always TripAdvisor!).

We were lucky enough to have a local friend take us to the historic - Restaurant 7 Portes. This restaurant has been open since 1836! Not suprisingly, they have perfected their Paella recipe and it's served up by their bow tie clad servers in a setting reminiscent of the old world. It feels and smells just like stepping back into 19th century Spain.

I've updated the original Paella recipe that included rabbit and snails...(you're welcome!) and made it a bit more healthy, using cauliflower rice instead of white rice. My recipe calls for chicken and you can use whatever pieces of chicken you like. I think the chicken thigh has the most flavor, and bone in with skin always tastes the best! I used wings, because I am in love with them and I happened to have them on hand, but you can use breasts or thighs with great results. Just adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Brown the chicken in olive oil until cooked through and then toss in the sliced sausage. I found an organic, nitrate-free chicken andouille sausage that was spicy and flavorful, but you can sub in any smoked sausage that works for you and your diet.

Brown the sausage on both sides and then remove the chicken and sausage to a plate and cover to keep warm, while you cook the "rice".

Add the chopped onion to the the pan and cook it in all the "chickeny-sausagey" goodness, until it's translucent.

Add in the garlic and cook for a minute or two, until you smell it wafting through your kitchen. Toss in the sliced carrots and let them cook until just tender. I used tri-colored baby carrots to add some sweetness and color.

Once the carrots are cooked a bit, you can add in the riced cauliflower and spices, along with a little drizzle of olive oil.

Stir this all together and let cook for about 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is just tender and beginning to color, stirring occasionally. Toss in the chopped kale and let cook until wilted, just a few minutes. All of the colors and flavors will combine to make a vibrant base for your proteins to hang out with.

Season the shellfish (use any combination you like or just one type) with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. This just takes a few minutes to cook and then add back in, the chicken and sausage. Once the shellfish is cooked and the chicken and sausage are back up to temperature, squeeze the lemon over and stir just to combine. You can serve this family style in the center of the table and let everyone dig into the gorgeousness, or plate up individually, sprinkling a bit of fresh pasley on top. Delicioso!

CAULIFLOWER RICE PAELLA

Yield: 4 servings Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS Chicken Pieces (thighs, breasts or wings) | 4 - 2-4 oz portions Olive Oil | 2 tablespoons Chicken Andouille Sausage (or other smoked sausage) | 2 links Chopped Onion | 1 large onion Minced Garlic | 2 cloves Sliced Carrots| 1 cup Riced Cauliflower | 3 cups or 1-12oz bag Smoked Paprika | 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric | 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt | ¼ teaspoon Ground Pepper | 1/4 teaspoon Finely Chopped Kale | 1 cup Fresh Shellfish (shrimp, calamari, scallops) | 8 oz Lemon | ½ lemon Chopped Parsley | 1 tablespoon for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Rinse and pat chicken pieces dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté chicken until brown and meat is cooked through (the time will depend on what type of chicken pieces you use, but the inside temperature should be at 165 degrees F). Slice the sausage into ¼ “disks and add them to the skillet with the chicken. Let the sausage brown on each side, then remove chicken parts and sausage to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the chopped onion to the skillet and let it cook over medium heat, in the juices and oil from the chicken and sausage, until translucent, 10 minutes or so. Add the sliced carrots and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Next, add in the garlic and cook for another minute or two until fragrant. Mix in the riced cauliflower and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, turmeric, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Cook the riced cauliflower until just tender and starting to brown a bit, 10 minutes. Add the chopped kale and cook several minutes until wilted. At this point, season the shellfish with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook several minutes until firm and cooked through. Finally, place the reserved chicken and sausage back into the skillet and heat through for several minutes. Squeeze the juice of ½ a lemon over the top and remove to a serving platter. Sprinkle the fresh parsley over the top and enjoy!