Spanish Paella and Rioja

Inner workings of the clock
Bob Cremin and Tim Premselaar 

Over the weekend, we enjoyed getting together with friends for a Spanish dinner party.  Our host has collected many fine wines, which includes a collection of aged Spanish wines.  I know so little about Spanish wines that I cannot recall the names of the wineries but know that we were drinking a delightful Spanish Rioja that came with a fine gold wire netting around the bottle.

Two of the men are clock collectors.  During the cocktails house, Tim Premselaar enjoyed showing fellow antique clock collector, Bob Cremin, his exquisite antique grandfather clock.  It was fascinating

Ken Hatch and Tom Raschella

to see that the clock had holes in the back of the casing because it had been nailed to the wall during its lifetime and that there were furrows in the door of the casing where the weights had rubbed the inside of the door as they moved up and down.  Ken and Tom Raschella appeared to enjoy the clock conversation also.

Our hostess, Sandi, did all the cooking herself which was so impressive.  Hors d'oeuvres included a wonderful selection of Spanish olives, a special Spanish-style bruschetta that had been rubbed with garlic and tomato and topped with Manchego

Paella simmering.

cheese, more cheese including a drunken Goat's cheese (wondering if the goat was drunk when milked or whether the cheese was just soused in wine later???), and a delicious Langoustine hot appetizer dip.

Since the main course included Paella, which must be cooked at the last moment, I kept our hostess company in the kitchen and it was fun to see each step.  She began by sauteing chicken breast meat, prawns, small scallops and Chorizo sausage slices in her large paella pan.  She removed the meats from the pan and then added chopped onions and red bell peppers to saute first

Sandi Premselaar and Joyce McCallum

before adding garlic, parsley and fresh lemon juice.  Once the vegetables were tender, she added her Arborio rice and sauteed it to toast it a little before adding hot chicken stock mixed with saffron.  She let the paella simmer, stirring occasionally under the rice had absorbed most of the liquid and then added back in the meat mixture.  Meanwhile she had also cooked a delicious pork in cumin sauce and roasted assorted miniature potatoes which were served alongside the Paella.

The salad that was served before the Paella was delicious with slices of hearts of Palm which my friend, Joyce McCallum, and I both love and were arguing who should get the most.  Since she got to put the plates out at the individual places, I accused her of giving herself the most of course!

Dinner was followed with an amazing homemade key lime dessert that was the perfect conclusion.

What a lovely evening!