Make-Ahead Paella Casserole

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons butter softened
• 3 cups chicken stock see 
• 1 pound center-cut fillet sustainable cod black thick
• 0.5 cup cooking sherry dry
• 5 tablespoons evoo 
• 4 servings flour such as wondra, for dredging instant all-purpose
• 0.5 cup flat-leaf parsley fresh roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 4 servings kosher salt and pepper freshly ground
• 1  optional: lemon 
• 1  onion chopped
• 0.5 cup orzo pasta thin
• 1 cup peas frozen thawed
• 2  roasted bell peppers red chopped
• 1 pinch saffron threads generous
• 4 servings seafood seasoning such as old bay
• 1 pound shrimp deveined peeled
• 4  chicken thighs boneless skinless trimmed
• 8 ounces chorizo spanish chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons paprika smoked sweet
• 1.5 cups rice long-grain white

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• sauce pan
• oven
• casserole dish
• wooden spoon
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Watch how to make this recipe.
2. Cook's Note: To roast bell peppers, arrange them on a baking sheet and broil, turning occasionally, until the skins are blackened.
3. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover and let cool. Peel and seed the peppers. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a casserole dish with 2 tablespoons butter.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
5. Add the pasta and toast until golden. Stir in the rice and saffron.
6. Add 3 cups stock and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until al dente, about 17 minutes.
7. Add an extra 1/2 cup water if the liquid evaporates before the rice is tender. Meanwhile, season some flour with the paprika in a shallow dish.
8. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour and shake off the excess.
9. Heat 3 tablespoons EVOO in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
10. Add the chicken and cook until browned and crisp on both sides, 12 to 15 minutes.
11. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to rest.
12. Add 1 tablespoon EVOO to the skillet, then add the chorizo and cook until the fat begins to render, about 2 minutes.
13. Add the garlic and onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with a splash of sherry, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Stir in the peas, thyme and roasted peppers and immediately remove from the heat. Slice the chicken and combine with the rice mixture and chorizo-pepper mixture.
14. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
15. Bake until heated through and the bottom is crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.
16. Add a splash of stock, about 1/2 cup, if the top of the casserole dries out too much. Meanwhile, cover the fish with about 1/2 cup kosher salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Season some flour with seafood seasoning in a small dish. Lightly dredge the fish in the flour and shake off the excess.
17. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat.
18. Add the fish and cook until firm and opaque, 5 to 6 minutes, turning once.
19. Transfer the fish to a plate.
20. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook until pink, 4 to 5 minutes.
21. Add the lemon juice and 1/2 cup sherry, then swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter until melted.
22. Add the parsley. Flake the fish into pieces. Top the casserole with the fish, shrimp and sherry sauce. Divide among plates. Cook's Notes: Always buy seafood within 24 hours of serving. Quick-salting cod with salt is a technique of NYC chef George Mendez. It gives the fish a firmer texture and more pronounced flavor. The casserole can be covered and refrigerated before baking for a make-ahead meal.