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The Spanish love this rice dish. Anything in the way of meat and sausages, seafood, and vegetables, can be added to it. The name "paella" simply refers to the big round pan in which the dish is cooked. This particular recipe is done in the style of Valencia, and it contains a little bit of everything.
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| What You Need: |
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1 pound mussels, in the shell
1 pound small clams, in the shell
˝ cup olive oil, or more if needed
2 pounds chicken thighs
˝ pound boneless pork butt, cut into ˝-inch cubes
2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped or crushed
1 cup cubed smoked ham (˝-inch cubes)
1 cup sliced Spanish Chorizo Sausage or Mexican chorizo from a good market 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and thinly sliced
2 cups converted rice
3 cups Chicken Stock or use canned
1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads (optional)
2 tablespoons Annatto Oil
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt to taste
˝ cup peas, defrosted if frozen
˝ pound large shrimp, peeled
1 cup dry white wine
GARNISH
Lemon slices
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| How To Cook: |
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1. With a paring knife or a pair of pliers trim or pull off the fuzzy beards from the mussels. Rinse the clams and mussels well and soak them in cold water for 1 hour. Drain, leaving any sand behind.
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2. Heat a 15-inch round paella pan or a large frying pan. Add the ˝ cup olive oil and brown the chicken until brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Brown and cook the pork in the same way. Remove the pork to the chicken plate, leaving the oil in the pan.
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3. Reheat the pan and add the onion, garlic, ham cubes, and chorizo slices. Saute until the onion is clear and then add the red bell pepper. Cook for a moment and remove from the pan, leaving the oil behind.
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4. Reheat the pan and add the rice. Stir over medium heat until the grains begin to color just a bit. You may need additional oil at this point. Now, add the reserved chicken and pork, along with the cooked vegetable mixture.
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5. In a saucepan bring the Chicken Stock to a boil and add the optional saffron, the annatto oil, paprika, and salt. When ingredients are hot add to the paella pan or frying pan.
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6. Heat until all comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the dish, covered, rotating it now and then on the burner, for about 8 minutes. Stir in the wine.
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7. Add the shrimp, clams, and mussels to the pan, being sure to push the clams and mussels down into the rice, hinged sides down. Sprinkle the peas on top and continue to cook, covered, until the clams and mussels are open and the rice is just tender.
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8. Garnish with the lemon slices and serve.
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