makes 8 servings
Nourishing, vibrant, and served without pretension, paella has held a place of honor and practicality in Spanish homes for centuries. If mussels aren't your favorite, you can easily substitute littleneck clams in their place--just be sure to thoroughly scrub the clams' shells in cold water before using. To round out the meal, choose a good Spanish red wine from the Rioja region, grab a crusty baguette, and serve with a light salad.
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup water
1 teaspoon saffron threads
48 oz. cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
8 unpeeled jumbo shrimp (about 1/2 pound)
4 skinned, boned chicken thighs, cut in half
2 links Spanish chorizo sausage (about 6 1/2 ounces) or turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 (4-ounce) slice prosciutto or 33%-less-sodium ham, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups finely chopped (red?) onion
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
3 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
1 cup frozen green peas
8 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
Lemon wedges (optional)
Prepare the herb blend
Combine, and set aside:
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Prepare the paella
In a large saucepan combine
1 cup water
1 teaspoon saffron threads
48 oz. chicken broth
Bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
Finely chop and set aside
2 cups onion
1 cup red bell pepper
Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact; set aside.
Scrub and debeard mussels; set aside.
Skin and debone 4 chicken thighs; cut in half
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add to pan; saute 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan.
chicken thighs
Add to pan; saute 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan.
2 links Spanish chorizo sausage (about 6 1/2 ounces)
1 (4-ounce) slice prosciutto, cut into 1-inch pieces
Add to pan; saute 2 minutes. Remove from pan.
shrimp
Reduce heat to medium-low heat.
Add to pan; saute 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
Add to pan; cook 5 minutes.
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained;
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
3 large garlic cloves, minced
Add to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3 cups uncooked Arborio rice
Stir in
herb blend
broth mixture
Chicken
sausage mixture
peas
Bring to a low boil; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add mussels to pan, nestling them into rice mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until shells open; discard any unopened shells.
Arrange shrimp, heads down, in rice mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done.
Sprinkle with 1/4 cup lemon juice.
Remove from heat; cover with a towel, and let stand 10 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups paella, 1 shrimp, and 1 mussel
Servings Per Recipe: 8