The one thing that I always try to do when entertaining is pick a theme. I always start with the food. Duh! For this get-together I choose paella! How fun is it to make a big vat of seafood paella to share with your family!?
7oz.Iberico Dry Cured Chorizo Sausagecut in 1-inch pieces
2-ouncesIberian Pork Dried Cured Loindiced
1white-onionfinely chopped
1red bell pepperfinely chopped
1 14.5oz.canned diced tomatoesundrained
1teaspoonsweet paprika
3large garlic clovesminced
3cupsuncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
1cupfrozen green peas
1cupbay scallops
1cupfrozen salad shrimp
16littleneck clams
16jumbo shrimp
1Lemon juicedplus additional wedges for serving
Instructions
To prepare the herb blend, combine the first 4 ingredients, and set aside.
To prepare paella, combine water, saffron, and broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute 5 minutes on each side or until almost cooked fully. Remove from the pan and set to the side.
Add sausage and Iberian Pork Dried Cured Loin; saute 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add onion and bell pepper; saute for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add tomatoes, paprika, and 3 garlic cloves minced; cook 5 minutes. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the chicken thighs back to the pan and pour half the broth on top. Bring to a low boil; cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently. *Tent with aluminum foil to help the rice cook faster. As the broth begin to absorb into the rice add additional broth until almost all of the broth is used up. Add in the green peas, mix well and cook for 5 minutes longer.
Once the chicken is almost cooked, stir in herb blend, bay scallops and salad shrimp. Mix well then, add the clams, jumbo shrimp to the pan, nestling them into rice mixture. Cook 15 minutes or until shells open; discard any unopened shells. Top with freshly chopped parsley and squeeze juice of one lemon on top before serving. Serve with additional lemon wedges and crusty bread.
Notes
Make sure and select a high-quality saffron from a trusted brand. Trust me, the flavor is worth the cost and a little goes a long way.