Paella is a perfect dish most anytime of year, and particularly in the summer.  Why?  Because paellas contain all the essentials elements of a balanced and flavorful meal that you cook together.  The saffron scented rice is accented with an array of meats or  shellfish and vegetables of  your choosing.

Next Thursday evening, June 3 at 5 PM ,we will be preparing  my favorite Paella Valenciana.  Paellas are  generally credited with originating in Southwestern Spain in the provinces of Valencia and Seville, which border on the Mediterranean.  Traditionally paellas were cooked in a round pan over a wood fire outdoors.   And in Spain,  paellas are customarily  prepared by the man of the house.  Also,  the Spanish tradition is to have either a seafood paella as above or a meat paella, however in the US, both are generally combines. 

They will prepare just as well in an oven.  There are a number of hints and tips forgetting the rice done at the exact right doneness along with the vegetables and other ingredients.

In our class, on  June 3, we will also prepare  some favorite tapa appetizers as well as an elegant dessert. We still have a few openings  and I am discounting the class to $76.00--a 20% discount until next Friday, May 28,2021.

We had a fabulously fun private class for a group of  eight friends yeSunday afternoon.  They made a favorite dish of mine that is elegant looking and very easily prepared.  It is a roasted loin of pork dish stuffed with chorizo and pinon nuts and glazed with jalapeno jelly.  I am sharing it below.  We create private and group classes all the time where the group selects the menu and everyone cooks.   To inquire about setting up a private class, just go to info@janebutelcooking.com or call us at 505-243-2622.

We are still taking reservations for our Oaxaca Culinary tour June 15 - 21 and for our Chile and Chocolate class July 8.  Our next weekend class is July 16 - 18, 2021  and our next week long class is October 25 - 29, 2021.

Here are the roast pork recipes and a favorite composed salad they made--

CHORIZO AND PINON NUT-STUFFED LOIN OF PORK

Glorious to behold! The red-hued, chile-laden chorizo (Mexican sausage) rolled inside the silken pink -white of the pork roast-crusty with a jalapeno jelly glaze-makes for an inimitably elegant entrée.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

3 ½ to 4 pounds boneless, butterflied loin of pork
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pound chorizo (see Note)
½ cup pinons (pine nuts)
8 ounces Jalapeno Jelly, hot or mild, depending on your taste (

1. Lay the pork roast out flat, with the inside (side from which bone was removed) facing up. Sprinkle with the salt. Remove the casings from the chorizo and place the sausage meat in a bowl. Mix the pinon nuts evenly into the chorizo. Then lay the chorizo in a long roll on the inside of the roast. (If using Italian sausage, or pork sausage, blend in the seasoning first, before adding the nuts.)

2. Bring the two sides together lengthwise. Tie every inch with white cotton twine. Place on a baking pan.

3. Put in the oven and turn to 350F. After the first hour, spread jalapeno jelly on the outside of the roast. Return to the oven and roast and baste every 15 minutes Continue roasting for 1 ½ to 2 hours more, or until 170F on a meat thermometer. Reserve the juices and serve on the side.

Note: If you can't find chorizo, substitute hot Italian sausage and add ½ teaspoon ground cumin and ½ teaspoon crushed Mexican oregano. If hot Italian sausage is not available, use fresh pork sausage and add 2 to 4 tablespoons caribe, or other crushed dried red chile.

ACAPULCO COMPOSED SALAD

with AVOCADO HONEY LIME DRESSING

Avocados festively accented with oranges, grapes and Jicama are dressed with a tart dressing to make an unusual salad that is beautiful, delicious and nutritious. The salad should never be made more than one hour in advance, but the basic preparation of the fruits can be done ahead.

 Yield: 8 servings 

2 large, ripe Haas or Fuertes avocados

2 heads fluffy leaf lettuce  or spring greens

3 seedless oranges, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds

1/2 jicama, peeled and coarsely shredded

1  bunch (about 1 cup) seedless white grapes

Acapulco Dressing (recipe follows) 

1. Halve and peel the avocados and slice into long, thin wedges. Sprinkle lime juice over all, carefully stirring to coat each piece evenly.

2. Arrange the lettuce leaves on chilled plates or on a large  platter. Alternate wedges of avocado with slices of orange and small bunches of grapes. 

3. Prepare the dressing and drizzle over the salad just before serving or serve a bowl of the dressing in the middle of the large platter of salad. 

Avocado Honey Lime Dressing 

1 ripe Haas or Fuertes avocados

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 Tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon caribe, or other crushed dried red chile 

Place all ingredients in a blender jar and process until smooth.  This dressing will keep refrigerated for at least two weeks.

See the entire archive of Southwest Recipes to learn more about Cooking with Chiles.