Poor Man's Paella

(This article was originally published in the March 2005 issue of LaBrea Living Magazine.)

Worth the trip, La Espanola brings a singular focus to tradition & flavor

by dale reinert, food editor

I love the searching for flavorful, quality food nearly as much as tasting it. The restorative powers of a flavor-filled meal at home or away cannot be surpassed by any other treat – at least for me.

But sometimes the journey to find flavor is a bit further than most Angelinos can bring themselves to venture. If our friends are not within a ten minute drive, then we pause to wonder if the journey could possibly be worth the effort.

As a Midwestern by birth, I can vouch that 60 miles each way to any destination is as close and accessible as the neighbor around the corner.

Years ago, I read somewhere about an Artisanal, Spanish-style chorizo maker. My first thought was a self-confession that I lacked all knowledge about things Spanish. Mexican sure, I know about that food. Even Peruvian is not virgin territory. But Spanish -- as in Spain -- I knew nothing. Then I noticed the California address at the bottom of the article. For me, nowhere in the Golden State is too far for flavor-filled foods that hold a restorative promise. But Dona Juana's was within an easy drive and, as I would later learn, definitely worth the field trip.
Dona Juana for decades has shared her passion for her homeland's cuisine with Southlanders. As a camera shy, passionate force behind the burgeoning La Espanola Meats, Dona Juana demands from herself, her family (all of whom work in the business), and her staff of more than 20 that care and attention be given to each and every product that bares her name.

Dona Juana's standards exceed those of the Food & Drug Administration. Instead of conducting random tests, as mandated by law, Dona Juana makes sure that each day's production is tested for both health standards and Artisanal quality as defined by Spanish consortiums.
Her commitment to authenticity can be seen in her insistence on transporting cheeses via air cargo to Los Angeles, instead of having it take the slow boat. This guarantees a stable temperature, critical for maintaining quality. They also test the quality of their ingredients before making their products. Then they test again after production. La Espanola even imports frozen bread dough from Spain and bakes it fresh daily. Dona Juana says it is the only way to get he bread just right. Of course, quality and authenticity comes at a premium, but the family holds costs down as best they can.

The recipe below is inspired by Dona Juana and her family. While not authentic to Spain, it is a one-pot, flavor-filled meal that comforts. I make it a couple of times each month and use either the garlicky Chorizo Riojano or their best-selling Bilbao Chorizo.

La Espanola Meats (www.donajuana.com), located at 25020 Doble Avenue in Harbor City, Calif., is the sole maker of an extensive line of Spanish-style chorizos within the United States. Producers of both semi-cured and dry cured meat products, La Espanola has an extensive selection of homemade and imported items in their retail space.

It's definitely worth the drive -- flavor makes it worth it.

Arroz con Chorizo Riojano



Ingredients
3 Tbls. olive oil
1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
3 large cloves garlic, turned into a paste
1 cup converted rice
1 package Chorizo Riojano
1 cup of your favorite chunky style salsa
1 cup plus 2 Tbls. chicken or vegetable stock
salt, kosher or sea
black pepper, freshly ground

Procedure
Prepare all ingredients before starting to cook. Slice the Chorizo Riojano into 1\4-inch disks. Chop the garlic and then use about a teaspoon of salt and the tip of a sturdy chef's knife to turn the chopped garlic into a paste. Pre-measure the rice, salsa, and stock.

Heat a 2-quart, stainless steel saucepan. When hot, add the oil and swirl to coat. The pan should be hot enough to make the oil easy to swirl but the oil should notsauteke. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Then add thsauterlic and salt paste and saute for an additional two minutes.
Once the onions are translucent and the garlic very fragrant, add the rice, stir until coated with the oil and toasted to a light tan color. This takes about 3 minutes. Stir constantly but gently.
Next, add the sliced Chorizo Riojano and continue to saute while the chorizo begins to release some of its flavor. Once the oil and rice has turned a light orange color from the paprika in the chorizo, add the salsa and stock. Stir to combine.

When the liquid begins to slightly boil, turn the flame to simmer. Place a tight fitting lid on the pan and allow it to simmer undisturbed for 20-25 minutes. Then turn off the flame, remove the lid and let stand for an additional 10minutes uncovered. Serves 3-4 as a main dish. Total time: 40 minutes.