CDKitchen's Favorite Paella

ingredients

1/2 pound chorizo or hot Italian sausage

1 pound raw medium shrimp

1 tablespoon lemon juice

7 tablespoons olive oil

1 package (10 ounce size) frozen tiny peas

18 small mussels

18 small cherrystone clams

1/2 pound lean bacon

8 chicken thighs

1 large onion, sliced vertically

1 green bell pepper, sliced vertically and seeded

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup beef stock

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon dried saffron

1 bay leaf, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper, to taste

2 1/2 cups converted or short-grain rice

1 can artichoke hearts, halved, drained, refreshed under cold water and gently squeezed to get rid of excess moisture

1/2 cup drained, seeded and chopped canned imported plum tomatoes

1 roasted red bell pepper, seeded

OR

1 jar (4 ounce size) pimientos, cut in strips

2 lemons, quartered

5 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

directions

Simmer the chorizo or Italian sausage in water for 10 minutes. Drain, slice and set aside. 

Peel and devein the shrimp and place in a bowl with the lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cover and refrigerate. 

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Drop in the peas and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the peas into a colander and refresh under cold water. Refrigerate. 

Scrub and debeard the mussels and scrub the clams. Place the shellfish in a colander and set the colander in a large dishpan of cold water. After 10 minutes, change the water, repeating six times to rid the shellfish of sand. Drain the shellfish and refrigerate. 

Cut the bacon into a small dice and place in a large frying pan. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the bacon for 5 minutes. Add the reserved sliced chorizo or sausage and saute for another 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and sausage with a slotted spoon to a paella pan, wok or casserole with a 6-quart capacity. 

Dry the chicken thighs and brown them over high heat on all sides in the oil remaining in the frying pan. Remove the browned chicken to the paella pan.

Add the onions, green peppers and garlic to the frying pan and cook, covered, over low heat until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables to the paella pan using a slotted spoon and discard the fat remaining in the frying pan. The dish may be done in advance to this point, cooled and refrigerated in the paella pan. 

Add the chicken broth, beef stock, wine, herbs and flavorings to the chicken, vegetables and sausage in the paella pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, bring the liquid to a rapid boil. Add the rice, pushing it down into the liquid with a spoon. Do not stir. Bury the reserved peas in the rice along with the halved artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and roasted red pepper, pushing them down also with a spoon. Again, do not stir. 

Finally insert the shellfish into the rice, hinged side down, and the shrimp. Reduce heat, cover the pan, and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another few minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and the clams and mussels have opened. The paella takes 20-25 minutes in all to cook. 

Garnish with lemon wedges, sprinkle parsley over all and serve immediately. 

Recipe Source: Judith Huxley's Table for Eight 

cook's notes

I've made this recipe dozens of times and it's always a hit. I sometimes add

 baby octopus or scallops. It's a flexible recipe, just keep the rice/liquid amounts in the same proportion.