Paella Mixta

Paella Mixta

3 Squares Gourmet

Clyde Van Arsdall

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 16 chicken drumettes (1 whole chicken breast cubed can be substituted)
• 3 sausage (chicken or pork)
• 1 lb shrimp (18-20 count per pound)
• 16 clams and 16 mussels

Sofrito

• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
• 2 red and 2 yellow bell pepper (seeded, de-ribbed and cut into 1-inch strips, ¼ inch wide)
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

• 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup of frozen peas or fresh asparagus tips and pieces
• 1 cup dry white wine (use wine you like to drink)
• 2 cups Bambo rice or Aborio
• 3 cups chicken stock
• Kosher salt and pepper

Pre- Cooking

• Wash the clams and mussels (be sure the “beard” is removed from the mussels if present).  Discard any that are already open.
• Put the chicken stock over a low heat to ensure it is hot when ready to add to the Paella

Cooking:

• Place the sausages in a skillet with 1/2 cup of water and cook covered for 5 minutes, turning at the halfway point. Remove the cover and let cook until the water is gone, and the sausages are browned. Remove the sausages to a plate and cut into ¼ inch rounds
• Add ¼ cup of olive oil to skillet and heat until a light haze forms.  Add the chicken drumettes and cook over high heat for 3 minutes, turning to brown on both sides. As the pieces brown, remove to a plate.

Sofrito

• Add ¼ cup of olive oil to the skillet and sauté the onions 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent.
• Add the red and yellow peppers to the onions and sauté an additional 2-3 minutes.
• Add the Garlic, saffron, smoked paprika salt and pepper (1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Finally add the tomato and cook until most of the liquid is gone.

• Add the rice and sauté several minutes, stirring to allow the rice to absorb the moisture, but not burn.
• Add the white wine and stir until the moisture is absorbed.
• Add 2 cups of the hot chicken stock, stirring to mix evenly and allow the rice to absorb the moisture.
• Add the sausage pieces with the last cup of stock and stir to distribute.
• Bing to a boil. Taste the liquid for seasoning and adjust, as necessary.  After this point the mixture should not be stirred. This allows the socarrat to form.
• Place the chicken pieces into the mixture, pressing them into the liquid and rice. Distribute evenly around the pan.
• Place the shrimp into the mixture, again pressing them into the liquid and distributing evenly.
• Place the mussels and clams into the mixture, hinge side down so that they open from the top of the pan.
• Sprinkle the peas or asparagus tips over the entire surface of the mixture.
• Turn the heat down to low when the liquid reaches the surface of the rice.  Cover the pan with foil and let steam for 10 – 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the mussels and clams are open. The shrimp should be pink.  Remove from the heat.  Let the paella rest, covered, for about 10 minutes. Uncover and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Note: This recipe can be made in a large pan, such an iron skillet cooked on the stove top and finished in the oven If finishing in the oven: As soon as the final liquid is placed in the pan, turn off the heat, arrange the chicken, shellfish, and peas. Place in the oven (400 degrees) uncovered for 25 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the oven and cover with a towel for 15 minutes to rest, then serve.