Chorizo and Wild Mushroom Fideos

Pair with Gloria Ferrer Carneros Chardonnay

by Chef Mia Chambers, Draeger’s Cooking School

Serves 8

Nonstick cooking spray
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided use
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
2 teaspoons pimenton dulce
1 pound mixed cremini and wild mushrooms, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
5 ounces Spanish chorizo or other garlic sausage (kielbasa), cut into 1/2 inch rounds
1 pound fideo pasta or Bella Italia capellini pasta, broken into 1 inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges for garnish
Chervil sprigs for garnish

Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Turn off the heat and set aside while preparing the rest of the recipe.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large saute pan over medium heat and add the onions once the butter has melted. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until they begin to turn golden brown. Add the garlic and tomatoes and saute until the garlic is fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir in the saffron and pimenton; turn off the heat and set aside.

In a separate saute pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter and add the mushrooms to the same pan. Cook stirring occasionally until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the chorizo to the pan and saute just until golden. Set aside with the mushrooms

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and stir in the pasta. Pan-fry the pasta (in batches) by stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it turns a golden color, about 7 minutes. Do not let it burn. Return all the cooked ingredients to the pan and stir to combine.

Pour the hot stock into the pasta mixture. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. When the pasta starts to absorb the liquid, do not stir anymore. Simmer pasta for about 10 minutes, or until most of the stock has been absorbed. Add the peas and continue to cook until all the stock is absorbed, about 3 minutes more.

Serve out of the pan or transfer to a warmed serving dish. Garnish with lemon wedges and chervil sprigs.