Being A Good Guest - The Beach House
Recipe For Quick Crowd-Ready Paella
Several years ago, I received an invitation to spend the weekend at a friend's beach house on Fire Island, N.Y. Naturally, I was excited as I had never been there before. So, of course, I asked, "what would you like me to bring? Our hosts informed us that we would be three couples and a few pre-teens staying for the long holiday weekend. Traditionally, each family picked one night and prepared the evening meal. This concept made perfect sense. However, our hostess politely explained that it had become exhausting pumping out three meals a day every weekend during summer. Therefore, cooking a family-style meal one evening was the least we could do for the gift of spending a weekend away at the beach.
Davis Park is a hamlet on Fire Island and is only reachable by ferry. There are no major supermarkets for a significant grocery shop, at least not at that time. So I had to plan my meal carefully and pack all the ingredients into a cooler for transport. I decided to make a very simple version of Paella with a tossed salad for the main course. After all, it is a "scoop" dish that will stretch to feed a crowd and was quick to prepare with a package of par-boiled rice mix. My appetizer selections consisting of a hunk of Manchego cheese, Marcona almonds, fresh sliced figs dolloped with mascarpone, and honey (recipe on the blog!)
Upon our arrival by ferry, we retrieved the cooler and belongings from the freight area. We were puzzled by the presence of wheelbarrows in the lot by the dock. No cars allowed on the island; we quickly caught on that the wheelbarrow was the means of transporting our belongings to the house. Wooden pathways made the trek easier, and we followed arrows that substituted for street signs. The large A-frame house was situated on a shady lot lined with pines. The upper-level deck created the feeling of being in a treehouse. Our host's head and feet were first to greet us from the outdoor shower, officially setting the casual beach vibe!
This house, generationally owned and shared by three sisters— all of whom are great cooks. Each day, after the beach, salty from the sea, we enjoyed fresh lime squeezed margaritas on the pine-scented deck. The clack of the screen door was always heads-up that a friend or neighbor was joining us for pre-dinner cocktails and apps. The kids in the backdrop, playing out adolescent romances, are happily disengaged by their normally overly attentive parents. I felt kissed by that golden globe called the sun, a sensation only summer can gift and, maybe, a little tequila?
I often find myself meditating on that memorable weekend. My son Alex had his first surf lesson and dug for clams in the sandy bay. I learned to make a homemade peach pie from my hostess. We laughed, ate, drank, and danced with perpetually gritty feet, everyone feeling euphoric and buoyant in the sea of summer.
Quick Crowd-Ready Paella
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
2 cups Carolina par-boiled medium grain rice (see note)
4- tablespoons olive oil
6 cups chicken broth
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Saffron threads
1 pound large cleaned and deveined shrimp, tail on
14 ounces cooked lobster meat (optional but suggested)
2 dozen scrubbed middle neck clams
7 ounces sliced Spanish chorizo ( can substitute cooked sliced Italian sausage)
One 6.5 ounce jar of sliced pimentos or roasted peppers
1 ½ cups frozen peas
Chopped parsley
Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the rice and saute until the rice is coated with the oil.
2. Add the garlic, broth, paprika, and saffron threads. Bring the mix to a boil, stir.
3. Reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until there is half the amount of liquid in the pan. Add the shrimp, lobster meat, chorizo, and peas into the rice. Place the clams into the rice, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until clams open.
4. Remove from the heat and place on a large platter. Garnish with the sliced roasted peppers or pimentos and finish with chopped parsley.
Notes: Get creative! This recipe can be doubled or cut in half with adjusted cooking times. Cooked chicken, baby lobster tails, or black mussels can be added to this recipe, all according to your budget. Serve with a chilled Sangria filled with fresh fruit.
Discard any clams or mussels that do not open during the cooking process.
I have adapted this recipe from Carolina Par-boiled medium grain rice mix. This rice cuts down the cooking time considerably. It is available at most supermarkets or on Instacart. It is not pre-cooked as you might think but is partially cooked in its husk. It yields a creamy texture, perfect for a quick paella or risotto.
Saffron threads can be found in the spice section of your supermarket; I used two vials of Morton & Basset brand purchased at Whole Foods.
Lobster meat can be purchased at your local fish market. Here I used frozen lobster meat www.cozyharbor.com, and it travels easily like frozen shrimp.
