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This is our favorite special-occasion grill dish, a circus of cooking and a carnival of good eats. For maximum showmanship, do as much of the cooking outside as the size and capability of your grill will allow. We give instructions for cooking the rice on a side burner or kitchen stove, but we prefer to do it on top of the grate if it's easy to vary temperatures on the grill. In either case, grill the seafood, chicken, and sausage at the same time or immediately afterward. However you manage the multiple but simple steps, you'll have the hot-doggers in the crowd salivating with gluttony and envy alike.
SERVES 8 OR MORE
PAELLA CHICKEN
| 2 | teaspoons olive oil |
| 1 | plump garlic clove, minced |
| 1 | teaspoon paprika |
| 1 | teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme |
| ¼ | teaspoon kosher salt or other coarse salt |
| 2 | 6-ounce boneless, skinless individual chicken breasts, pounded to ½- to ¾-inch thickness |
PAELLA SHRIMP
| ¾ | pound medium shrimp, peeled and, if you wish, deveined |
| 1 | teaspoon Mexican hot sauce, such as Cholula, El Tapatío, or Búfalo |
| ½ | teaspoon olive oil |
| ¼ | teaspoon kosher salt or other coarse salt |
PAELLA SQUID
At least 1 hour and up to 8 hours before you plan to begin cooking, marinate the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic, paprika, thyme, and salt. Rub the paste over the chicken breasts, place them in a plastic bag, and refrigerate. About 1 hour before you plan to begin cooking, combine the shrimp in a small bowl with the hot sauce, oil, and salt, and in another bowl, combine the squid with the lemon juice, oil, and salt. Refrigerate the shrimp and squid.
Fire up the grill for a two-level fire capable of cooking at the same time on both high heat (1 to 2 seconds with the hand test) and medium heat (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test). If you want to cook the rice over the grill fire, you'll need a capability for medium-low heat as well.
Remove the chicken, shrimp, and squid from the refrigerator and let them, the sausage, and the clams sit covered at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes while you prepare the rice.
In a 12- to 14-inch heavy skillet or paella pan, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, peppers, and garlic and sauté several minutes until softened. Stir in the rice and continue cooking until translucent but not brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Mix the saffron into the stock and pour the stock over the rice. Add salt to taste. Cook the rice over medium-low heat uncovered, without stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.Late in the cooking, insert a spoon or spatula to the bottom of the rice in several spots, without stirring, to make sure the rice is cooking evenly. Shift the position of the pan over the heat if it is getting more done on the bottom in one area than elsewhere. When done, the perfect paella rice is moist throughout but has just a little crust on the bottom and side portions.
Remove the pan from the heat and scatter the olives, peas or artichokes, and parsley over the rice. Cover it immediately with foil and keep warm in a very low oven or on a corner of the grill.
Transfer the shrimp, squid, sausage, and clams to the grill, placing them over high heat, and add the chicken over medium heat. Grill the shrimp and squid for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. The squid tentacles will be done about a minute sooner than the bodies. When done, the shrimp should be just opaque with lightly charred edges and the squid should feel firm yet tender. Remove them from the heat and cover with foil. Cook the clams until they pop open wide, about 8 to 10 minutes, and cover them too. Discard any clams that don't open within a couple of minutes of the others.
Grill the sausages on high for 3 to 4 minutes, rolling them to sear evenly, and then move them to medium heat and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes or until cooked through. Cook the chicken over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until opaque throughout but still juicy.
Slice the squid and sausages into rings and the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir all the grilled ingredients into the rice and serve immediately.
TECHNIQUE TIP: Though our paella is an Americanized amalgam of ingredients, it's true to its Spanish roots in cooking the rice over an open fire in an open pan. To maintain that spirit, and provide full attention to the multiple ingredients on the grill, we don't recommend cooking the paella (either the rice or the grilled toppings) covered. If you enjoy the dish and want to do it often, consider investing in a proper paella pan; The Spanish Table in Seattle (206-682-2827) carries an astonishing range of sizes and varieties.