PAELLA RECIPE @THE MARKET

Thank you one and all for coming out for The Boulevard Market's Spanish Night! The Paella was a big hit and so easy to make at home! Here is the recipe I follow and just cut down amounts according to how many you are serving. I reduced the ingredient amount to 4 cups broth and 2 cups rice...so you'll get a gauge of how much the original makes! Feel free to give a call if you run into a snag.....

PAELLA

6 cups very strong chicken broth (bouillon)
1/2 tsp saffron
1/4 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (Pimentón de la Vera)
1 small onion, peeled
2 small chickens, about 2-1/2 lbs each (I used boneless skinless chicken breast for ease in eating)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 lb of cooking chorizo, in 1/4 inch slices
1/4 lb piece jamón serrano ham, diced (optional-I didn't use last night)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
4 tbsp chopped garlic
2 sweet peppers
1 lb small or medium shrimp, shelled
3 cups short grain Spanish rice such as Bomba or Calasparra
5 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 lb fresh or frozen peas
18 clams and/or mussels, scrubbed (While I didn't use because of the lack in our county, this is a MUST for authentic flavor!)
Lemon wedges for garnish
Parsley for garnish

Heat the broth with the saffron, paprika and the whole onion. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove the onion and measure the broth -- you need exactly 5-1/2 cups.

Cut the chickens into small serving pieces -- the whole breast in 4 parts, each thigh into 2 parts, the bony tip of the leg chopped off, the wing tip discarded, and the rest of the wing separated into 2 parts. Dry the pieces well and sprinkle with salt.

In a metal Paella pan, with about a 15 inch base, heat the oil. Add the chicken pieces and fry over high heat until golden. Remove to a warm platter. Add the chorizo, and jamón to the pan and stir fry about 10 minutes. Add the chopped onion, scallions, garlic, and peppers and saute until the onion is wilted. Add the shrimp and saute about 3 minutes more, or until the shrimp barely turn pink. Remove the shrimp to the platter with the chicken. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat it well with the oil. Sprinkle in the 5 tablespoons of chopped parsley. (You can make in advance up to this point.)

Stir in the chicken broth, boiling hot, the wine, rice, and peas. Salt to taste. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, over medium high heat about 20-30 minutes or until rice is tender and juice has been absorbed. Bury the shrimp and the chicken in the rice. Add the clams and the mussels, pushing them into the rice, with the edge that will open facing up.

To serve, decorate with lemon wedges (or squeeze over at the counter) and chopped parsley.