Paella

Submitted by Pesto lover

"This is a wonderful dish for entertaining. The presentation is fabulous, but it is still a one-dish meal. All of the time involved is prep time. Once it's in the pan, you are free to mingle with your guests while it cooks. This is a pricey dish to prepare, but you can control the cost somewhat by using less expensive ingredients. The chorizo, chicken and shrimp are mandatory. The rest is up to you. A note about the chorizo - don't use Mexican chorizo, it is a completely different product and doesn't work in this dish. If you cannot find Spanish chorizo sausage, use spicy Italian sausage instead. It's not the same, but it will give a good flavor. Also, the very best rice to use for this dish is Bomba rice from Spain. You can find it at stores that import food products from Spain or at on-line sites. If you can't get Bomba, use Valencia rice. Since this is a rice-based dish, look for the best rice for complete success. Italian arborio is not a good choice, nor is long grain, short grain or Basmati. Plan ahead and find the sources you need for the right ingredients. This comes out best if you use a very large shallow pan that has a cover. I use a 16" non-stick pan with sides that are about 3 1/2 inches high. You can find these pans in some Chinese markets at a very low price. Some of those large covered chicken fryers can work too. Otherwise, use two pans and divide everything between the two pans. Everyone I have served this to talks about it years later. It is that good!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 45mins
• Ingredients: 20
• Serves: 12-14

ingredients

• 1 lb spanish chorizo sausage, sliced up
• 12 chicken wings, cut drumettes off the rest of the wing, reserve all
• 12 mussels, fresh
• 18 manila clams, fresh
• 1 1⁄2 lbs shrimp, fresh jumbo
• 12 snow crab claws
• 1 lb sea scallops
• 1 lb squid, sliced
• 1⁄4 teaspoon saffron, crushed (You can add up to 1/2 tsp. if you like the flavor)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lbs bomba rice, imported from Spain
• 28 ounces italian canned tomatoes, I use Cento brand San Marzano
• 2 pimientos, sliced (I use canned Goya brand, ("Pimenton")
• 1 1⁄2 cups frozen peas
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 6 ounces white wine, I use Fume Blanc
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper

directions

1. 1. Take chicken wings, but not drumettes, and place in a stockpot with 10 cups water, 1 onion and 2 garlic cloves. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook until 8-9 cups of stock remain. Pass through sieve. Discard chicken, onion & garlic. Set aside stock.
2. 2. Brown chorizo in a skillet. Set aside.
3. 3. Brown chicken drumettes in 1 tbsp olive oil. Set aside.
4. 4. Scrub mussels & clams under cold water. Set aside.
5. 5. Devein shrimp by cutting through back with sharp knife, or you can peel it and devein it if you prefer.
6. 6. Wash rice at least 3 times, until water runs clear. Drain well.
7. 7. In the pan you will use for the dish, saute onion & garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil until onion is soft. Don't brown.
8. 8. Add rice to onion and saute rice for about 2 minutes, stirring.
9. 9. Add 8 cups broth and the wine.
10. 10. Break up the tomatoes by hand into small pieces and add with juice from can.
11. 11. Add saffron, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. I sometimes add 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper instead of the red pepper flakes if people don't want heat in the dish. Stir well.
12. 12. Place drumettes over rice in wagon wheel design.
13. 13. Evenly scatter the chorizo over rice.
14. 14. Arrange the shrimp, scallops and squid over rice.
15. 15. Arrange the clams and mussels over all, with the opening of each facing up, so that when they open, you will be able to see into them.
16. 16. Scatter pimento and peas evenly over all. If you can't find canned pimento, use a very thinly sliced red bell pepper.
17. 17. Bring to a boil over med heat. Reduce to simmer, cover and leave until liquid is almost completely absorbed by rice.
18. Taste the rice when it appears almost ready. If it is a little hard to the bite, add a little of the reserved broth or water (1/2 cup), cover and leave for a few more minutes. It shouldn't be hard, nor should it be too wet.
19. Turn off stove and leave the dish undisturbed for 5 minutes before uncovering and serving.