Chef Rafael Palomino with ingredients
Hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, Chef Rafael Palomino honed his culinary craft working in New York with acclaimed chefs as Larry Forgione and Charlie Palmer, and in France with. He is a culinary dynamo, who has written five cookbooks, and owns several restaurants, including Sonora restaurant in Port Chester, New York.
Chef Rafael Palomino and Moderator
We had the opportunity to attend Chef Rafael Palomino’s demo during Westchester Magazine’s Wine & Food Festival held at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla, New York on Saturday, June 10, 2023. Chef demos at wine and food festivals are always a highlight for us, and we thoroughly enjoyed learning how to make Palomino Paella from Chef Rafael Palomino. He graciously provided his paella recipe to demo attendees, and now to Luxury Experience readers.
Chef Rafael Palomino explaining the recipe
Chef Rafael Palomino of Sonora restaurant, Port Chester, New York
Palomino Paella
Ingredients for the Hogo:
|
2
|
|
Plum Tomatoes, diced
|
|
0.50
|
Medium
|
Red Onion, diced
|
|
1
|
Small
|
Garlic Clove, minced
|
|
0.50
|
Tablespoon
|
Olive Oil
|
|
1
|
Teaspoon
|
Parsley, chopped
|
Ingredients for the Paella:
|
1-2
|
Small
|
Live Lobsters, preferably female, about 1.25 pounds each
|
|
2
|
Tablespoons
|
Olive Oil
|
|
1
|
Tablespoon
|
Garlic, minced
|
|
3
|
|
Littleneck Clams. Scrubbed
|
|
2
|
Cups
|
Chicken Stock, Fish Stock, or Canned Low-Salt Chicken Broth
|
|
1
|
Pinch
|
Saffron Threads
|
|
1
|
Pinch
|
Sazón Spice Blend, (optional)
|
|
0.5
|
Cup
|
Long-Grain Rice, rinsed
|
|
|
|
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
|
|
1
|
Fresh
|
Colombian or Mexican Chorizo, or Dried Spanish Chorizo, sliced, 0.25-inch thick on the diagonal
|
|
3
|
Large
|
Shrimp, shelled and deveined
|
|
6
|
|
Mussels, scrubbed and debearded
|
|
0.50
|
Cup
|
Hogo (see recipe above)
|
Ingredients for the Garnish:
|
1
|
Tablespoon
|
Fresh Scallions, coarsely chopped
|
|
|
|
Black Beans
|
|
1
|
|
Lemon, cut into wedges
|
Method for the Hogo: Before cooking the paella, prepare the hogo. Combine all the ingredients in a small pan and cook it to medium heat until veggies are soft, stirring constantly. Set aside so that the flavors may mellow and marry.
Adding Olive Oil
Method for the Paella: To begin the paella, select a large skillet. Traditionally, a medium-size paella pan should be used for this recipe. If one is not available, use a large skillet with curved sides. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir until all the grains are completely coated with the oil. Crush the saffron threads between your hands over the pan and sprinkle over the rice. Add the Sazón and stir.
Add 3 cups of the stock and salt (or the seasoned water) to the skillet. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce to a simmer, and cover, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes, add the tomatoes and stir. Simmer for 3 minutes more. The mixture should still be quite soupy. As the liquid is absorbed, add more stock, one-half cup at a time, until there is no more stock, and there is still liquid on the bottom of the pan.
Place the clams in the skillet, gently push them down into the rice, and cover. After the clams have been cooked for 3 minutes, place the mussels in the skillet, gently pushing them down into the rice.
After this point, do not stir the mixture, but move it gently with a wooden spoon every so often to make sure it is not sticking to the pan. After the mussels have cooked for 1 minute, add the chorizo, lobster, and shrimp. Cook the paella for about 5 more minutes, until lobster pieces are cooked through, and shrimp are opaque. Sprinkle the mixture with black beans, chives, and reserved hogo, and serve.
Plated Paella
Luxury Experience Notes – Culinary Term: You can purchase Sazón seasoning in grocery stores; it is a blend of spices (coriander, cumin, achiote, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper).
Until next time, Bon Appetit!
For more information on the next Westchester Magazine’s Wine & Food Festival or their upcoming events, please visit their website or social media: Westchester Magazine Wine and Food Festival , Facebook,Instagram
For more information on Sonora restaurant, please visit the website: www.Sonorarestaurant.net
Read more about our experiences at the Westchester Magazine’s Wine & Food Festival 2023 in Luxury Experience’s Gastronomy section and also in Luxury Experience’s Chefs’ Recipes section.
Westchester Magazine’s Wine & Food Festival 2023
Kensico Dam Plaza
Valhalla, New York
United States
Website: https://westchestermagazine.com/wine-and-food/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WMWineandFood/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/westchestermagevents/
#Wmwineandfood
Sonora Restaurant
179 Rectory Street
Port Chester, New York 10573
United States
Telephone: +1-914-933-0200
Email: sonorarestaurantgroup@gmail.com
Website: www.SonoraRestaurant.net
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/sonoraportchester/
Instagram: #sonorarestaurant
Follow Luxury Experience on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LuxuryExperience to see photos and videos.
Follow Luxury Experience on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/LuxuryPair @luxurypair
Follow Luxury Experience on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/luxurypair @luxurypair
© June 2023. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com. All rights reserved.
