I’m participating in Carbonell Olive Oil’s #DareToCarbonell campaign – highlighting their three distinctive flavors of Spanish olive oil – number one in Spain since 1866, and sold in more than 50 countries. I used all three versions of oils in these recipes, and although I didn’t use the correct ones for the correct things in my video – I did WRITE out the correct recipes here on the blog post.
This post contains four recipes:
- Spanish Paella with Chicken and Chorizo
- Salad with Green Olives, Queso Fresco and Homemade Lemon/Oil Dressing
- Perfect Baked Potatoes with Yummy Edible Skins
- Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Organic “Sangria”
This is a meal fit for entertaining, and it will impress.
The first time I had this particular meal, it was with just the Paella and a different salad. We’ve been on a potato kick lately (my 14 year old daughter’s favorite food on the planet – and I wanted to share that I’ve finally discovered the very best way to bake them). The friend who introduced me to this meal (minus the potatoes) told me she watched the Rachel Ray cooking show and made the Paella for us when we were having dinner at her house. She made it the way Rachel said to make it – including shrimp and mussels. We are NOT big shrimp and mussel fans here. If you are, by all means, knock yourself out (you add them at the end and arrange on top of the pan, closing the lid to steam them). You can click over at the very bottom of this post to see Rachel’s version.
Another thing Rachel added was enriched white rice (I prefer basmatti) and I thought that she added peas, but maybe that was just something I added in the first time I cooked this (I like peas, but my husband can’t stand them). You can also serve it with fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro, or some fresh chives or green onion. To make it a little spicier, you can add chilies when you saute the vegetables. Either way, you can play around with the ingredients to make it the way you like it best.
You might start with this quick video, and then come back to get your ingredient list and instructions.
Side note: I’m not the best videographer, and I’ll be making a documentary about the process I went through making this particular video. I want to save everyone the heartaches and stress of electronic and software mutiny. Seriously, y’all – this was the hardest video I have ever made. It was like a Lemony Snicket series of Unfortunate Events gone awry. Trust me, as un-perfect as it may look, there was elbow grease involved. Late nights and lost sanity. My laptop narrowly escaped being pummeled to death.
{ You can tell how tired I was in the audio – sorry for the “narrator reading without emotion” feeling it has. It was 2AM and I was TIRED. }
The video kind of cut me off there at the end, but what I was trying to say was — after you share my post (tweet or pin or whatever), please let me know how you like the recipe and how it goes for you! Use the #DaretoCarbonell hashtag so they know I sent you!
It’s amazing what a little olive oil and salt can do for a baked potato! Mmmmm.
I think it’s great that food companies are engaging with their “eaters” – consumers. Carbonell should branch out and make a presence on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter to match their obvious desire to spread the message about their oils through bloggers who love food.
Aside from coconut oil and grapeseed oil, olive oil is our very favorite oil type – and truth be known, I probably use it more than anything else. I use peanut oil every now and again, too. For salads and cold dishes, nothing beats the flavor of olive oil.
Here are the recipes…
- Baked Potatoes
- 6 washed and dried Russet Potatoes
- Salt
- Olive Oil
- Paella
- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin (high heat) olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 cups pre-cooked basmatti rice (cook as directed with chicken broth instead of water)
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or a teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 lb. chicken tenders, cubed in bite-sized chunks (can use less or freeze extra for next meal)
- garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 large hatch chilies
- optional: red bell pepper (sweeter) / jalapeno or hot chilies to taste
- small to medium yellow sweet Spanish onion, chopped finely (can freeze extra)
- small package beef chorizo, casings removed
- fresh lemon zest from one lemon
- optional: fresh parsley, cilantro, green onion or chives
- optional: frozen peas, shrimp, mussels
- optional spices: sumac, dried jalapenos, dried chives, paprika
- Salad
- box fresh mixed greens
- 10-12 fresh cherry tomatoes (home grown are best), quartered
- 10-12 green Spanish or Greek olives, sliced
- 1/4 large purple onion, slivered
- 1 tsp lemon pepper
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- juice of one lemon
- Sparkling Non-Alcoholic “Sangria”
- HEB Organic Italian Sodas – one Pomegranate, and one Sicilian Lemon, chilled
- small bag frozen fruit or chopped fresh fruits (whatever your favorites are)
- zested lemon from Paella recipe (will go bad if you don’t use it), sliced and seeded
- optional: crushed ice for drinks
- preheat oven to 350 f
- washed and dry Russet Potatoes
- coat each potato with oil and sprinkle with salt
- poke at least 2 deep holes in potato skins to prevent cracking or bursting
- place on cookie sheet without foil and bake for 45 minutes or until fluffy and soft
- pre-cook your basmatti rice in chicken broth with a little butter and salt and then chill in refrigerator
- chop veggies and meat
- prepare a bowl with your spices
- heat 1 tblsp olive oil at medium high in skillet and sear/saute meat until done
- meanwhile in large wok or pot with high sides heat 1-2 tblsp oil and cook your onion, garlic, and peppers (and peas if you use them) until slightly browned and translucent
- add spices and continue to stir and cook
- add a bit of additional olive oil if needed
- add chilled rice to pot and use potato masher to loosen, coat and stir
- add chicken and chorizo (with juices/fat) and mix well
- if using shrimp or mussels, place in top of pot and put the lid on to steam them – pan fry the shrimp in the grease left on the chorizo pan if you like them more well done
- grate or zest lemon rind of one lemon over pan and toss
- add any additional fresh herbs before serving, serve warm
- Add your greens, chopped tomatoes, olives, and onion in large salad bowl.
- Crumble cheese over top of salad and toss.
- Drizzle with olive oil and squeeze your lemon juice in, being careful to discard seeds
- season with lemon pepper
- chill until time to eat (if it will be for any long length of time, cover with moist cloth towel or moist thick paper towel to keep crisp)
- add salt at the table if you like
- Pour frozen or fresh (or both) fruits in empty pitcher.
- Add crushed ice if desired (or just add ice in glasses upon serving)
- Alternate pouring HEB Organic Italian sodas over ice and fruit to blend well.
- refrigerate until using (I recommend not pouring until close to serving time because it will go flat rather quickly)
I hope you like it. It sounds like a lot of work, but really – this is a super easy meal to make… and while it takes about an hour and a half to prep all four recipes and an hour to cook them all, it goes fast when you combine the work. I suggest putting the potatoes in first, cooking your paella next, tossing the salad while you wait on cooking, and throwing the hot items in the oven on 200 f while you set the table and prepare your “Sangria”.
Remember if you share to add the #DareToCarbonell hashtag – and use your white and red capped oils for sauteing and grilling, and the green cap (or any of them you love) for drizzling on finished or cold foods. Visit their fantastically awesome website for more info and recipes.
I’d love to hear about your experience with this set of recipes! Leave a comment and share with your friends!
In Him,
Heather
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Disclosure: This blog post is part of a paid SocialMoms and Carbonell blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. Special credit goes to Rachel Ray for the original recipe of Spanish Paella and Sangria, which I altered. And in a side note, I’m so jealous of her old green and orange kitchen. Maybe one day…
That was awesome, Heather! I’m on my way over. HaHa!
I see this is what you were creating video wise. Cool!