Paella a la Catalonia

Miss Annie's Note:

From the cookbook "The Art of Spanish Cooking" I have not tried this classic dish yet, but it is in my recipe book to try for a dinner party. Cooking time is an estimate.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 25 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 whole chicken breast , boned
• ¼ lb lean pork
• 1 small onion , minced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 lobster tails
• 1 large tomato , peeled and chopped
• 1 -2 clove garlic , crushed
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1 ½ cups arborio rice
• 1 cup shelled peas or 1 cup chopped green beans
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 12 mussels , well scrubbed
• 2 ¾ cups boiling water

Directions:

1. Chop the chicken breast and pork into 1-inch cubes.
2. Saute chicken, pork and onion in olive oil until crispy brown.
3. Cut each lobster tail in three pieces, right through the shell, cutting away undershell.
4. Add lobster, tomato and garlic to chicken and pork, and cook 2 minutes.
5. Dissolve saffron in 2 Tbsp.
6. boiling water, strain.
7. Add saffron with rice, peas, salt and mussels, stir to coat rice with oil.
8. Pour on boiling water and again bring to boil, cook over moderately high heat 10 minutes.
9. Stir or shake to prevent sticking, cover tightly, keep in a warm place on stove 15 to 20 minutes longer until all liquid is absorbed.
10. A very heavy skillet or cast-iron casserole will hold enough heat to complete cooking the rice; with a less heavy pan it may be necessary to have very low heat under it during this last stage- or place skillet or casserole in an oven set at 300ºF.
11. Can be cooked entirely in a 10-inch skillet or a similarly sized pan.