Haitian-style salt-cured pork and shrimp paella with djondjon

On the menu today, my Haitian-style salt-cured pork and shrimp paella.

Did that flavor combination just make you grimace? If it did, do tell me. Don’t be shy. I won’t hold it against you. If anything, I will tell you that I totally relate.  Believe it or not, I understand your apprehensions. I even share them. I had the same ones as I set out to prepare my salt-cured pork and shrimp paella.

Truth be told, I wasn’t convinced that those flavors would work well together.

But I still wanted to mix them. Salt-cured meat is a Haitian staple. Through the years, I developed a taste for it as you can probably tell from my Tchaka and salt-cured meat articles. As for the shrimp, I think it speaks for itself. Not only does the shell make for a delicious broth, but the crustacean itself is also bold in flavors. Add some djondjon to the mix, and you should be on your way to a delightful dish. My meat and shrimp had to work well together. At least that’s what I told myself as I embarked on that adventure.

As I was standing in front of that paella pan, with my mother looking over my shoulders, I couldn’t help but wish that I could be cooking in a secret kitchen by myself. I wanted to make a single batch just to test out the flavors. A batch only I would be tasting to make sure it wasn’t a complete fail. Yet, I had promised my family a paella for dinner. I couldn’t back down. I had to serve it at all costs.

Today, as I share my fears about that dish with you, I can’t help but smile. I’m even laughing at myself right now. I’m not even sure what I was so worried about. After all, surf and turf truly is a thing. All right, I know, it is typically a combination of steak and seafood. But still. Why wouldn’t it work with a different type of meat? Plus, my paella was not a completely new idea.

A pork and shrimp paella is a dish people prepare.

Do a quick online search and you will see. You will realize that my flavor combinations were not so crazy. Perhaps the salt-cured meat and djondjon were new. But still. Had I dug more information prior to entering that kitchen, I would have saved myself a whole lot of stress that day.

So to you, the one who is also unsure I did the right pairing, I will only say one thing. Think surf and turf. Imagine the flavors of salt-cured meat and grilled shrimp separately. Then combine them in your mind. And try my salt-cured pork and shrimp paella recipe below. I promise, you will be on your way to quite the perfect tasty adventure.

Haitian-style salt-cured pork and shrimp paella with djondjon

I recommend preparing the broth a few hours before to allow the flavors to fully develop. Please note that this recipe does not call for salt. The salt-cured meat has enough salt in itself to salt the entire dish.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Ingredients

  

For the shrimp djondjon broth

• Shrimp shells
• 3 cups of water
• Djondjon
• Bay leaves
• 2-3 garlic heads
• Fresh thyme
• 1 piment bouc

For the pork

• 1 lb salt-cured pork meat
• Whole peppercorn
• Fresh thyme
• 1 piment bouc
• Water

For the shrimp

• 1 lb of shrimp peeled and deveined
• 2 mashed garlic heads
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• ¼ tsp chili
• ¼ tsp paprika

For the paella

• 1 cup of white rice
• ¼ cup of white wine
• 2 cups of prepared djondjon broth
• 1 diced tomato
• 1 can of green peas
• ½ diced onion
• ½ diced bell pepper
• 1 tbsp of oil
• Fresh parsley
• Lime slices

Instructions

 

For the broth

• Bring all the ingredients to a boil
• Simmer for about 20 minutes
• Cover and let rest until ready to use
• Strain the liquid by making sure to extract all the juice from the shrimp shells
• Measure two (2) cups of the bouillon and set aside. You will use them to cook the rice

For the pork

• Put the meat in a pressure cooker
• Cover with water
• Add the peppercorn, thyme and piment bouc
• Cook for about 30 minutes until tender
• Drain and preserve the cooking water

For the shrimp

• Season them and set them aside until your rice is halfway done
• Grill half of the shrimp on a cast iron grill
• Set aside

For the paella

• In a pan, add a tablespoon of oil
• Brown the cooked meat on all sides and remove from the pan
• Incorporate the onion and garlic
• When the onions turn translucent add the rice
• Cook until fragrant and translucent
• Add that point deglaze with the wine
• When the wine is absorbed add two cups of the djondjon broth
• Stir well
• Once the water is halfway absorbed add the pork meat and the remaining uncooked shrimp
• Cover the rice and reduce the heat
• Once the rice is fully cooked mix it well
• Add the chopped pepper, some fresh parsley, the peas and the diced tomato
• Garnish with lime slices and serve