Spanish paella gives that turkey a new taste

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, November 29, 2005

You may just happen to have some cooked turkey around, and be looking for an easy way to give it a new identity. Try this one: a low-fat recipe that gives a tasty new twist to the classic Spanish paella, with chorizo, saffron and smoked paprika for authentic flavor and color.

The recipe is from the November issue of Cooking Light magazine, and besides being low in fat, it will take about 42 minutes of your time to put it on the table, by the magazine’s estimate.

They suggest an orange, avocado and olive salad to complement the paella, and for a dessert that’s smoothly compatible with the gusto espanol, a low-fat dulce de leche ice cream.

Ingredient tips: Use Spanish paprika for this recipe, since regular paprika won’t give you the same rich, smoky flavor. Chorizo is the Spanish sausage that can be fiery or mild but is always well seasoned. Hot Italian sausage is a good substitute if that’s more convenient.

Saffron is sold in tiny packages. While it’s a little expensive, a few threads go a long way. Saffron and smoked Spanish paprika can be found in the spice aisle of gourmet markets, or are available online at www.penzeys.com or www.tienda.com.

Turkey-sausage paella

23/4cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/4teaspoon saffron threads

Cooking spray

2ounces Spanish chorizo sausage

1/2cup chopped onion

1/2cup chopped red bell pepper

3garlic cloves, minced

3/4cup uncooked Arborio rice

1/4cup dry white wine

1/2teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

1141/2-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained

2cups shredded cooked turkey breast (about 8 ounces)

1/2cup frozen peas, thawed

2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Combine broth and saffron in a small saucepan over low heat; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chorizo to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove chorizo from pan with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Add onion and pepper to pan; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add rice; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine and paprika; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in broth mixture and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Gently stir in turkey, peas and parsley; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Makes four servings (serving size 1 1/2 cups). Per serving: 297 cal., 9.8 g total fat (3.3 g saturated), 25.5 g pro., 26.2 g carbo., 3.1 g fiber, 54 mg chol., 746 mg sodium.

Orange, avocado and olive salad

2cups watercress

1avocado, peeled, sliced

1orange, peeled, in sections

8pimento-stuffed olives, sliced

1tablespoon olive oil

1tablespoon red wine vinegar

1teaspoon honey

1/8teaspoon salt

1/8teaspoon pepper

Place 1/2 cup watercress, 1/4 of the sliced avocado, four orange sections and two sliced olives on each of four salad plates. With a whisk, stir together oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper; drizzle evenly over salads.