Epifanía: Me gusta el Arroz con Pollo pero no me gusta el azafrán

Cuando fui a España hace dos años, mi mamá y yo cenamos en un restaurante con un buffet muy interesante (¿Te acuerdas, mamá?). Fue allí donde comí mi primer plato de paella y la primera vez que probé azafrán. Pensé que no me había gustado la paella porque tenía un sabor de ostras y otros mariscos que no me gustan mucho.

Bueno, hoy hice mi primer plato de arroz con pollo y compré el azafrán (¡me costó 10 dólares!) sin saber que fue ese preciso ingrediente que causó que no me gustara la paella en España.

Para mejorar el plato a mi gusto, añadí queso rallado y sazón (¡Lawry's es mi favorito!). Encontré la receta en Stacy's Snacks. Otros bloggers, For the Love of Cooking y Karen Cooks, siguieron esta receta también.

Aunque no me gustara el azafrán en mi plato (sabe a medicina o el mar), me gustó todo lo demás. ¡Fue un plato bien rico y colorido! Planeo hacerlo de nuevo...sin el azafrán.
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When I went to Spain two years ago, my mother and I ate out at a very interesting, buffet restaurant (remember, mom?). It was there that I had eaten my first dish of paella and my first taste of saffron. I didn't like it because it tasted like oysters and other shellfish I don't like very much.

Well, today I made my first dish of arroz con pollo, and I even bought saffron (it cost me 10 dollars!) without knowing that it was that exact ingredient that caused me not to like the paella in Spain.

To improve on the dish to my taste, I added grated cheese and seasoning salt (Lawry's is my favorite!). I found the recipe on Stacy's Snacks. Other bloggers, For the Love of Cooking y Karen Cooks, followed this recipe as well. Since I live alone, I made half of the recipe.

Even though I didn't like the saffron (it tastes medicinal or like the sea), I like everything else. it was a very colorful and delicious dish! I plan to make it again...without the saffron.

Stacey's Arroz con Pollo

adapted from Stacy's Snacks

4 chicken thighs, with skin and bones
salt and pepper (I used Lawry's Seasoning Salt and pepper)
olive oil for the dutch oven
1/2 chopped or dried onions (if you like less of an onion taste, use the dried variety)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 slices of smoked ham (or bacon) chopped (or turkey bacon)
1/2 tsp cumin
1 generous pinch of crumbled saffron threads (will not include this the next time around)
1/2 tsp of sweet paprika
1 red or green pepper, chopped (I did not include this; I don't like the stuff)
1 cups of chicken stock (I used leftover, homemade chicken stock)
3/4 cups of chopped canned tomatoes (I poured this in the measuring cup along with the chicken stock)
1/2 cup of long grain rice (Like Stacy, I used jasmine rice, too)

Garnish:
chopped fresh parsley (didn't have)
defrosted frozen peas
roasted red pepper strips for garnish (or pimento) (don't like the stuff)

Season your chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In a heavy dutch oven, heat olive oil and add your chicken and brown on both sides for about 8 minutes until skin is getting crispy. Remove chicken from pan with tongs and set aside. Pour off all of the fat except for about 2 tablespoons.
Now add your onions, smoked ham, garlic (and peppers). Sauté for a few minutes, and add your spices: saffron (optional), cumin, salt and paprika. Coat the onion mixture with the spice mixture for a minute.

Add your stock and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Add your 1/2 cup of rice to the pot and place your chicken pieces back in the pot on top of the rice. Simmer this on low, partially covered for about 25-30 minutes, scraping up the brown bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan once or twice. Garnish with peas, parsley and roasted red pepper strips.