Small Batch Paella

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 teaspoon saffron, crushed and steeped in 3 t. stock
• 1 1/2 cups broth (either chicken broth, or half chicken, half clam juice)
• 1 cup diced peeled tomato
• 1/2-1 teaspoon paprika, preferably spanish
• 1 dash turmeric (for color)
• olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/4 cup finely diced carrot
• 2 -3 minced garlic cloves
• 4 -6 ounces boneless chicken thighs, with skin
• 1 roasted peeled red pepper, cut into slices (or from jar)
• 1 cup paella rice or 1 cup other mediterranean rice
• 12 mussels, debearded and scrubbed (or unpeeled shrimp or large scallops)
• 1 ounce spanish chorizo, chopped or 1 ounce equivalent amount cooked diced pancetta
• you could add artichoke heart, peas, different cooked sausages, and whatever else strikes your fancy, but adjust proportions so tha

Recipe

• 1 boil together the broth, saffron and the broth it steeped in, tomato, paprika, turmeric, salt and pepper. heat oil in the paella pan or cast iron 12 inch frying pan. add garlic and onion and cook until soft, then remove.
• 2 brown chicken, adding oil as needed, until about 75% done, then remove.scrape bottom of pan, add more oil, add rice, and cook until translucent. add boiling broth, cook at medium for 5 minutes. do not stir.
• 3 reduce heat, arrange chicken, red pepper, mussels, chorizo, and any optional ingredients, and cook 15 minutes. cover, continue cooking on very low, about 5 more minutes. you may need to move the pan around so heat is even; you want the water to be absorbed and the bottom to begin to get crusty.
• 4 let stand about 5 minutes, discard shellfish that do not open.