Quick paella cuts prep time but not taste

There’s the classic Spanish paella, saffron-hued rice painstakingly cooked with any number of ingredients, which can include chicken, sausage, ham and shellfish, plus peas, tomatoes and garlic.

Then there’s the streamlined paella adapted for everyday dining, as in the recipe that follows. This dish unashamedly borrows the name and takes some liberties with the ingredients. But that’s progress; it’s been done before and has often led to tasty innovation in the food world.

There are days when having less than three-quarters of an hour to get dinner on the table makes a degree of compromise with purity very acceptable.

Shortcut paella

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1garlic clove, diced

1large onion, chopped

6-8ounces lean ham, cut in thin strips

1 1/2cups rice

1teaspoon turmeric

1-2pinches powdered saffron, to taste

1-2pinches cayenne pepper, to taste

1 1/2cups hot chicken or vegetable broth

1-pound package frozen cooked peeled shrimp (thawed, rinsed and drained)

2cups seeded and chopped plum tomatoes

10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed and drained

1cup (4 ounces) grated Jarlsberg cheese or low-fat Jarlsberg cheese

Heat oil in large, heavy nonstick skillet with lid. Saute garlic, onion and ham over high heat for 4 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add rice and saute 3 or 4 minutes more.

Add turmeric, saffron and cayenne to hot broth and stir into rice. Add shrimp, tomato and peas. Mix gently to blend. Sprinkle Jarlsberg evenly on top, cover tightly and cook over medium-low heat 15 minutes. Turn to low for 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Makes four to six servings. Preparation and cooking time about 30 minutes, plus 10 minutes standing time.

Nutrition information: 559 cal., 41 g pro., 15 g fat, 210 mg chol.

Recipe for AP from Jarlsberg cheese