Rabbit and Crawfish Paella with Spring Vegetables

From Chef Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club & Ovenbird, Birmingham, AL

Serves 30 people

Editor’s Note: In order to make this the show stopping centerpiece of your celebrations, you’ll need one large paella pan. It’s totally worth the investment (once you make paella, you probably will want to make paella more), but if not, then you’ll need to coordinate multiple large format cast iron skillets for this preparation.

2 quarts uncooked Calasparra rice

2 cups extra virgin olive oil

2 quarts sofrito

4 quarts rabbit stock from braised rabbit

2 quarts cooked crawfish

1 quart diced braised rabbit

1 quart blanched and diced asparagus

1 quart braised and diced spring vidalia onions

1 quart raw diced sugar snap peas

1 quart English peas

1 quart shrimp stock

2 cups chopped flat leaf parsley

1 cup sliced chives

1. Place paella pan over open fire on Sea Island Forge and get hot. Add extra olive oil and heat until just before smoking, then add raw rice and cook till golden brown, stirring continuously.
2. Add sofrito and 1 quart of rabbit stock and mix thoroughly. Stir continuously as rice absorbs broth, then add additional quart, one at at time, as needed till rice is cooked to al dente. (You might not use the whole 4 quarts but close.) Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add rabbit, asparagus, sugar snaps, English peas, vidalia onions and crawfish, and  shrimp stock. Mix all ingredients evenly and cook for 4 minutes. Add fresh herbs. Taste, adjust seasoning as needed, and serve immediately.