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Many nations are known for their one-pot meals. The New England boiled dinner, stir-fried dishes from China, Spain’s paella and the rich Bolognese sauce from Italy are among my favorites.
During an episode of “Top Chef: New York,” Hosea Rosenberg, who was named the winner, prepared paella in about 30 minutes. He used shrimp, chorizo and chicken and specifically recommended arborio rice. I watched him closely and thought, “I can do that.”
I have prepared jambalaya — a first cousin to paella — on a number of occasions, but always used long grain rice. Edward and my sister Sandy served as my culinary guinea pigs. I made paella with wild shrimp, mussels, clams and chorizo.
Marcella Hazan’s recipe for Bolognese sauce has been one of my staples ever since I began collecting her cookbooks. Hailed as the Italian Julia Child, Hazan had a strong influence on how Americans cook regional Italian dishes. She was discovered by the late Craig Claiborne, who was a food columnist for The New York Times for many years.
During the summer, I make a ragu using fresh, red, ripe tomatoes. Now, that we’re in the depths of winter, I turn to canned crushed and whole San Marzano tomatoes from Italy. Although many Italian-Americans believe you must simmer a ragu, gravy or sauce for hours and hours, Hazan believes this is not necessary. You can make a fresh tasting sauce in about 40 minutes.
A loaf of bread and sturdy green salad marry well with paella and a Bolognese. I used a grassy Sauvignon Blanc in the former and we sipped a glass with dinner. A Chianti, Rioja, Malbac or Cabernet Sauvignon works well, too.
Although we ended our paella dinner with a slice of Termini’s marble cheesecake, you might want to prepare a flan to celebrate Spain. A panna cotta from Italy would be my choice after pasta alla Bolognese.
■ Paella ■
Ingredients:
Olive oil, to coat the bottom of a large wide pot
1 large shallot or onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 fat cloves of garlic, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1-1/2 pounds of wild shrimp, shells removed
3 cups of water
1 cup of dry white wine
2 chorizo sausages, sliced
1-1/2 cups of arborio rice
24 cherrystone clams
2 pounds of mussels
Pinch of saffron
2 bay leaves
Directions:
Heat the oil over medium. Sauté the shallot or onion, red pepper and garlic for about five minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.
While the vegetables are cooking, place the shrimp shells in a pot filled with the water and wine. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the chorizo to the shallot mixture and sauté over medium for about eight minutes. Add the rice and sauté briefly. Add the shrimp shell water and wine. Bring to a boil, lower to medium and add the remaining ingredients.
Cover the pot and cook until the mussels and clams open, about eight minutes.
Serves four.
■ Bolognese Sauce ■
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large shallot or onion, diced
3 fat cloves of garlic, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1-1/2 pounds of ground beef
1 28-ounce can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup of dry red wine
2 bay leaves
Directions:
Heat the oil over medium in a 4-quart stockpot. Sauté the shallot or onion and garlic for about five minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.
Push the vegetables to the side of the pot. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the beef, sautéing just until it loses its pink color.
Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer, cover with the lid askew and cook for about one hour.
Serves four.
Note from Phyllis: Hazan writes Bolognese sauce must cling to the pasta. Pappardelle or tagliatelle are good choices for ragu alla Bolognese. You also can use fettuccine or linguine.
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