Hunter'S Paella

Name: Hunter'S Paella
Ingredients: olive oil; 1 cornish game hen, pheasant or other game bird, but not duck, quarted, back removed; 4 thin slices of applewood smoked bacon; 1 to 2 boudin noir, failing that chorizo, cut into 4 pieces; 2 onions, julienned, about 2 cups; 1/4 cup pepitas; 1 1/2 tablespoons aleppo pepper; 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder; 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled; 1 teaspoon cumin seed, ground; 1/2 cup white wine; 2 granny smith apples, small dice; 1 handful of cilantro, minced, about a 1/2 cup; 3 1/4 cups chicken stock; 1 1/2 cups arborio rice; kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

16 ingredients

6 steps

Ingredients

olive oil
1 cornish game hen, pheasant or other game bird, but not duck, quarted, back removed
4 thin slices of applewood smoked bacon
1 to 2 boudin noir, failing that chorizo, cut into 4 pieces
2 onions, julienned, about 2 cups
1/4 cup pepitas
1 1/2 tablespoons aleppo pepper
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon cumin seed, ground
1/2 cup white wine
2 granny smith apples, small dice
1 handful of cilantro, minced, about a 1/2 cup
3 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions

1

Season each of the four pieces of game hen with salt and pepper then wrap each quarter with a piece of bacon.
2

Place a 14 inch paella pan or saute pan over medium high head and add the oil. Place each piece of game hen skin side down and brown the pieces. Turn and brown the other side. You want to cook these long enough that they are close to done. Remove the pieces to a plate. Do the same with the blood sausage.
3

Add another glug of olive oil and add the onions. Turn down the heat if necessary and cook them until they begin to brown.
4

Add the pepitas, the aleppo pepper, Mexican oregano, cumin ancho powder and 1/4 cup of the cilantro. Stir and once it becomes fragrant add the rice. Stir to coat the rice with oil and then add the apples and wine. Let the wine reduce and then add the stock. Season with a teaspoon of salt and fresh ground pepper.
5

Place the chicken attractively on top and bring the whole thing to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and let the rice gently bubble. Nestle the sausage into the rice. Keep an eye on the liquid making sure it isn't reducing to fast. If the rice is was crunchy and the liquid almost gone add a half a cup more of stock.
6

Check to see that the chicken, this should take about 20 to 25 minutes, is done and that the rice is tender. A crust should have on the bottom. Remove from the heat and let the whole thing rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve.