Taking steps of St. James – while eating paella – along the Camino

The first step is the hardest. For years, walking the Camino de Santiago (“The Way of St. James”) was on our bucket list, but there were many obstacles. Finally, like the scallop shell of St. James that leads pilgrims along The Way, a great tour company pointed us in the right direction. So we gathered a few friends, hopped a plane to Spain, and began the adventure of a lifetime.

We commenced our pilgrimage at the end, walking the last 100 kilometers from Sarria to Santiago. We traversed steep hills, red fern gullies, and eucalyptus forests with prayers in our hearts for personal intentions. We tramped through sleet, snow, and downright downpours as we journeyed toward Santiago with fellow pilgrims.

Galicia is not unlike south Louisiana, a special place set apart from the rest of Spain with its unique dialect, love of food, and warm welcome to strangers passing through. We stayed in country cottages where hot local fare and Spanish wines awaited us. We ate more than our share of grilled octopus, garlic soup, and paella. In fact, I am sharing a Louisiana-style redfish paella recipe given to me by chef Francisco Sterling.

Every pilgrimage begins with the first step. Buen Camino!

Redfish Paella
Prep time: 1 hour
Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
½ pound redfish, grouper, or other firm-fleshed fish fillets, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 cups Spanish rice or arborio short-grain rice
16 (10-12 count) shrimp, peeled, butterflied, and tailfin intact
½ pound squid, cleaned, cut into ½-inch rings and tentacles, halved
2½ pounds chicken thighs, boned and cut into ½-inch cubes
½ pound boneless pork loin, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ pound pork sausage, cut into ¼-inch slices
2 dozen small mussels
1 dozen small clams
Coarse salt and black pepper to taste
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp crumbled saffron threads
2 tbsp minced parsley
½ cup olive oil, divided
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 large tomato, finely chopped
2 tbsp paprika, preferably Spanish smoked
6 cups hot fish stock
½ cup frozen fresh peas
¼ cup olive oil for garnish
1 (13¾-ounce) can Roland whole red pimientos, drained and julienned

Method:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle fish, shrimp, squid, chicken, and pork with salt and pepper then set aside.
In a mortar, add minced garlic, saffron, parsley, and salt to taste. Mash to a paste and set side.

In a paella pan or cast iron skillet, heat 6 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not cook all the way. Remove shrimp and set aside.
In same pan, sauté chicken 5-7 minutes or until brown but not fully cooked. Remove from pan and set aside with shrimp. Add pork and sausage to pan and sauté 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a platter. Set platter aside.

Add cubed fish and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside with pork and sausage. Into the same pan, add remaining olive oil. Add onion and bell pepper and cook 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Stir in tomato and cook 1-2 additional minutes. Add paprika and rice, stirring to coat rice well with vegetable mixture.

Pour in stock and bring to a rolling boil. Add paste from mortar, season to taste using salt and black pepper, and continue to boil about 3 minutes, stirring and rotating pan occasionally.

Add reserved fish, pork, sausage, squid, and peas, stir well and bring to a rolling boil. Cook 5-7 minutes or until rice absorbs most of the liquid.

Arrange chicken, shrimp, mussels, and clams evenly over rice and transfer to oven. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until rice is al dente. Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil, and allow to sit 10-12 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. Before serving, pour ¼ cup olive oil over rice and garnish with pimiento strips.