A new pan, a new paella - includes recipe

Sunset, April, 1995 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

Far Eastern flavors go into the pan with chicken and rice

The pan started it. I wanted to replace my beat-up 12-inch frying pan with something a little bigger. Browsing through a cook-ware store, I happened to spot a paella pan. It was a little deeper and a little wider than what I had in mind. It was better-looking, too, made of heavy aluminum with handles on opposite sides of the rim. Best of all, it was half of what I planned to pay. Not only did my investment pay off, but the pan inspired a new dish.

Traditional Spanish paella was my guide: rice and chicken are the foundation. And both are equally at home with some of my favorite ingredients: sweet Chinese sausage (instead of plain pork), pungent shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, and fresh ginger. A flurry of fresh cilantro adds a shot of fresh color, and its flavorful zing replaces the earthy flavor of saffron. My Asian paella looks great and is a hit with family, guests, and me - especially - because it can be completely cooked ahead of time, then warmed while the party gets under way.

Which leads to a good question. Do you need a paella pan to make Chinese chicken paella? No, any shallow metal or ceramic baking dish that holds 4 1/2 quarts works fine. You may have to visit an Asian grocer for some of the ingredients, but supermarket alternatives work well, too.

Chinese Chicken Paella

10 to 12 large chicken thighs (about 4 lb. total), skinned

Soy marinade (recipe follows)

3 cups (3 1/2 to 4 oz.) dried shiitake mushrooms

1 pound Chinese sausage (lop cheong) or frozen brown-and-serve pork link

sausages, thinly sliced

3 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 whole star anise (optional)

About 5 cups regular-strength chicken broth

1 package (1 lb.) frozen petite peas, thawed

1 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) sprigs

Rinse chicken and mix in a deep bowl with 1/4 cup of the soy marinade. Cover and chill 30 minutes or up to 1 day; mix occasionally.

Rinse mushrooms. Soak in about 3 cups hot water until soft, about 20 minutes. Lift mushrooms from water, squeezing liquid into bowl; reserve soaking liquid. Cut off and discard tough mushroom stems. Thinly slice caps and mix with 1/2 cup of the soy marinade. Let stand at least 30 minutes.

Drain and discard marinade from chicken. Place chicken pieces slightly apart in a 10- by 15-inch pan. Bake in a 450 [degrees] oven until thighs are slightly browned and no longer pink at bone (cut to test), about 20 minutes. Reserve pan drippings.

In a 14-inch (at least 4 1/2 qt.) paella pan, or 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat, stir sausage slices often until browned, about 10 minutes. Lift out sausage with a slotted spoon. Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add rice, onions, and star anise to pan. Stir over medium heat until rice turns opaque, about 10 minutes.

Carefully, to avoid sediment, pour mushroom soaking liquid into a glass measure; discard sediment. Add enough chicken broth to mushroom liquid to make a total of 6 1/2 cups. Add to rice mixture along with mushrooms and their marinade; bring to a boil.

Cover paella pan tightly with a lid or foil, or pour mixture from the 5- to 6-quart pan into a shallow 4 1/2-to 5-quart casserole (about 10 by 15 in.) and cover tightly with foil. Bake in a 350 [degrees] oven for 20 minutes. Stir into rice the sausage, peas, and drippings from chicken; lay chicken pieces on rice. (If making ahead, cool, cover, and chill up to 1 day.) Cover tightly and continue to bake until chicken is hot and rice is tender to bite, 10 to 15 minutes longer (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, if chilled). Sprinkle with cilantro. Offer remaining marinade to add to taste. Serves 10 to 12.

Per serving: 475 cal. (25 percent from fat); 27 g protein; 13 g fat (4 g sat.); 58 g carbo.; 661 mg sodium; 85 mg chol.

Soy marinade. Mix 1/2 cup dry sherry with 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and 4 cloves garlic, minced.