Paella

A few days ago I made a recipe for Paella. I have tried making it a few years ago and did not have good luck at all, of course at the time I didn't have the right pot and I don't think the recipe I tried at the time was as good. This recipe was based on a recipe I found in "America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook" though I made a few changes- here is how I made it.

• 4 oz chorizo (I used the "real" stuff but next time would use the americanized version- I think I would like it better believe or not) sliced


• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut in quarters (or bite size pieces)


• 4 t olive oil


• 1 minced onion


• 1 diced red bell pepper


• 9 garlic cloves, minced (next time I will use even more)


• 2 cup valencia or arborio rice


• 3 cups chicken broth


• 1 (14/5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained


• 1/3 c white wine


• 1/2 tsp saffron threads


• 2 bay leaves


• 1 1/2 lbs shrimp (medium to large), peeled, deveined and tails removed


• 1/2 c frozen peas


• 2 pkgs scallops (around 2 cups)


• 2 t fresh minced parsley


• lemon wedges for serving
  

Preheat oven to 350. Cook chorizo in dutch oven until lightly browned, about 2 mins. Transfer to a bowl.

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 4 t of oil in the pot until just smoking, brown chicken thoroughly on both sides. Transfer to the bowl with the chorizo, leaving the grease in the pot.

Add onion and bell pepper to pot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 mins. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in rice and cook about 1 min. Stir in broth, tomatoes, wine, saffron and bay leaves and scrape up any brown bits. Stir in chicken and chorizo and bring to a voil. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook about 15 mins until the rice absorbs almost all of the liquid.

Remove from oven and scatter peas, shrimp and scallops over top. Cover and put back in oven and cook about 10-15 mins until seafood is cooked through.

Remove from oven and let stand covered for about 5 mins. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. 8 servings

*I would love to try clams in this or even squid. I also think this would be good with some red pepper flakes.