Seafood Paella With Artichokes

I make this every year for our Christmas Eve dinner. It is the Polish tradition to serve seafood and even though this isn't a Polish recipe, my in-laws love it! You can substitute other seafood and fish for what I have indicated. This is a great recipe for experimenting and adding what you love! I have also made this with chicken sausage included with all the fish and seafood.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon saffron thread
• 2  teaspoons olive oil
• 1  cup  diced onion
• 4  cloves garlic, crushed
• 1  cup water
• 1 (16 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 -2  cup chicken broth
• 1  dash crushed red pepper flakes
• 1  dash fresh ground black pepper
• 1  cup  uncooked arborio rice
• 2  cups canned artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1⁄2 cup dry vermouth
• 16  small mussels, scrubbed or 16  small littleneck clams or 16  small  mahogany clams
• 1  lb large shrimp, peeled,deveined
• 3⁄4 lb sea scallops
• 3⁄4 lb  boneless salmon steaks, cut into chunks with skin removed or 3⁄4 lb  fresh  swordfish or 3⁄4 lb  fresh tuna
• 1⁄4 cup  minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven (or other large cooking pot) over medium high heat.
2. Add onion, garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
3. Add saffron liquid, 1 cup water, tomatoes, chicken broth, red& black pepper and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
5. Stir occasionally.
6. After 10 minutes check consistency of rice – should be creamy with some liquid.
7. If necessary add more water until rice is tender and creamy.
8. Add artichokes, vermouth, seafood& fish.
9. Cover and simmer 5 minutes or until mussel (or clam) shells open.
10. Discard any unopened shells.
11. Sprinkle with parsley.