This brown-rice version of the national dish of Spain may raise some eyebrows in Barcelona, but at less than half the calories of the original, this combination of fragrant saffron, garlic, chorizo, and shrimp is a beautiful thing.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 ounces Spanish chorizo, such as Goya, halved length-wise and sliced into about 1/4-inch-thick half-moons

　　6 garlic cloves, chopped

　　1 teaspoon saffron threads

　　1 cup long-grain brown rice

　　1 3/4 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

　　One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

　　8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　3/4 cup frozen peas

　　

Step 1

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the chorizo and cook until the fat begins to render, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring often, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add the saffron, rice, and broth. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook at a very gentle simmer for about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices. Cover the pot, and continue to cook for another 25 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste, and stir the shrimp and frozen peas into the mixture. Cover, and continue to cook until the shrimp are cooked through and the rice is tender, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Allow paella to rest for about 5 minutes, covered. Then fluff the rice with a fork, and serve.

　　

nutrition information

Step 5

Fat: 42g (before), 8.2g (after)

　　

Step 6

Calories: 900 (before), 341 (after)

　　

Step 7

Protein: 20g

　　

Step 8

Carbohydrates: 47g

　　

Step 9

Cholesterol: 185mg

　　

Step 10

Fiber: 5g

　　

Step 11

Sodium: 883mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.