Coastal Georgia Paella

Time for another update on the Bold Springs Kitchen.  Did you catch the new name? 😅 I realize that over the last year, the building that we're renovating into a community kitchen for our town has been through an identity crisis.  I've referred to it as the old school cafeteria, the church kitchen, a community kitchen, a shared kitchen space and a commercial kitchen.  The fact is that it's all of those things but now we have an official name ... Bold Springs Kitchen.  

I'm excited to report that the BSK project is moving forward.  We've hired an extremely talented architect to take all of our crazy dreams and lofty ideas about the space and turn it into something realistic, practical and fantastic.  I cant wait to see the new ideas that the architect will bring to the table.   I'm also anxious to find out which of my plans the engineers decide are actually possible because I'm really good at dreaming big but I tend to disregard things like load bearing walls.  💁🏻‍♀️🤣

Don't forget to keep connected to the blog for updates on the Bold Springs Kitchen.  I can hardly wait to see the architects drawings so you know I'll be sharing as soon as I can.  In the meantime - I'll be enjoying and embracing everything that this glorious summer has to offer. 😎

Coastal Georgia Paella is the perfect summer meal for 2.  This delicious dish can be made outside over a grill or inside on the stove.  I'm such a fan of all things seafood and I think I fell in love with seafood paella when I had my first taste.🐠🍤🍚  I've made several different versions of paella at home and I've eaten it in Valencia which is considered to be the birthplace paella and to be honest --- I think I prefer my homemade version to the original.😬  I think it's because I can customize my seafood and adjust the salt and seasonings to my own preferences at home.  

Coastal Georgia Paella
Shrimp Stock
6 1/2 cups water
1 pound shrimp, peeled
1/2 onion, halved
1 garlic head, halved
1 Tablespoon turmeric
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
1/2 lemon

Paella
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper
1 onion, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
12 littleneck clams
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Combine shrimp shells and remaining stock ingredients in pot including squeezed lemon and spent half.

Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer. 

Add water to make 6 cups stock.  Season shrimp with 3/4 t. salt and pepper. 

Heat oil in paella pan.  Add bell pepper, onion and 1/4 t. salt.  Cook 10 minutes. 

Stir in garlic.  Stir in rice.  Cook 2 minutes. 

Stir in shrimp stock and bring to a boil.  Cook 8 minutes. 

Press clams, hinge side down, into rice. Cover and cook 6 minutes. ​

Press shrimp into mixture.  Cover again and cook 5 minutes. ​

Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. 

Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.  Drizzle with extra olive oil.  

Obviously, I substituted mussels for clams in this recipe.  It wasn't because I don't like clams - I simply couldn't find any when I wanted to make this recipe.  It was mighty good with the mussels and I'm sure that it would be equally good with clams.  

​Ciao!

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