From Episode 131: Layla's Menu

Seafood Paella

Serves 4

Ingredients:

¼ cup/50 ml olive oil
3 shallots, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon/1.3 g Persian saffron powder
2 cups/375 g long grain white rice
1/2 cup/100 ml dry white wine
1 teaspoon/6 g salt
4 cups/900 ml chicken stock, warmed
1 tomato, seeded, diced
8 black mussels, scrubbed, debearded
8 Manila clams, scrubbed
4 colossal shrimp, halved lengthwise, deveined (with shells)
4 sea scallops
1 tablespoon/about 3 g roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon/15 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, halved

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Heat ¼ cup/50 ml of olive oil in a 12-inch/30-cm-diameter paella pan (a broad, shallow pan with two handles) over medium heat.  Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves, and sauté until the shallots are tender and translucent, about 1 minute.

Sprinkle the saffron powder over the shallot mixture and sauté for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes or until the pan is quite dry and the rice is coated with oil. Stir in the wine and salt then the warm chicken stock. Stir the rice to distribute it evenly in the pan.

Bring to a simmer over high heat then remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the tomatoes over the rice mixture. Nestle the mussels, clams, shrimp and scallops into the rice mixture.Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake the paella uncovered for about 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the seafood is cooked (discard any mussels and clams that do not open).

Remove the paella from the oven. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze the lemon juice over the paella and serve.

Coconut Wafer Basket with Mangoes Cooked in a Coconut Caramel

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For the wafer baskets:

½ cup/100 g sugar
3/4 cup/35 g dried unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons/20 g all purpose flour
1 teaspoon/5 g baking powder
2 large egg whites
5 tablespoons/65 g unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon/2.5 ml fresh lemon juice

For the mangoes:

½ cup/100 g sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml water
1/3 cup/75 ml unsweetened coconut milk
2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, cut into 1-inch/2.5-cm cubes

To serve:
1 pint/425 ml coconut ice cream

Method:

To make the wafer baskets:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.  In a food processor, blend the sugar, coconut, flour and baking powder until the coconut is finely ground. Slowly add the egg whites then the melted butter, being careful not to over-mix the batter.

Blend in the lemon juice.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the batter is cold. 

Line a heavy large baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Form 2 wafers by spooning 1 1/2 tablespoonfuls/25 ml of batter for each wafer onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing 4 inches/10 cm apart.

Using a small metal spatula, spread the batter to form thin 5 1/2-inch/12-cm rounds.  Bake until the wafers are golden, about 10 to 12 minutes.  Working quickly and using a metal spatula, gently lift the wafer off of the baking sheet.

Place the wafers over upturned glasses and gently mold the wafers around the bottom of the glasses. Working in batches, repeat with remaining batter forming 8 baskets total. Cool the wafers completely. Once cooled in this manner, the wafers will maintain their shape and can be used as baskets.

To caramelize the mangoes:

Stir the sugar and water in a heavy medium sauté pan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.  Moisten a pastry brush with water and wipe down the sides of the pan to prevent sugar crystals from forming.

Simmer without stirring until the syrup is a light golden color, about 5 minutes.  Add the coconut milk and stir gently until the sauce is smooth. Simmer for 1 minute to thicken the sauce slightly. Add the mango and toss in the pan for about 2 minutes, or until the mango is heated through.

To serve:

Set one coconut wafer basket in the center of each of 6 plates. Since you will only need 6 of the 8 baskets, use the most attractive baskets for this dessert and reserve the remaining 2 baskets for another use. Spoon the mango pieces into the wafer baskets and top with coconut ice cream. Drizzle the caramel sauce on the plate and around the basket, and serve.