maria's paella

Ingredients

• Servings: 6


• 1/2 cup olive oil


• 1 1/4 pounds chicken thighs


• 1/2 cup onion, diced


• 2 cloves garlic, chopped


• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced


• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced


• 1/4 pound calamari rings


• 1/4 pound small shrimp - peeled and deveined


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 2 teaspoons saffron threads


• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes


• 1/2 cup peas


• 3 cups long grain rice


• 6 cups water


• 6 large clams in shell, scrubbed


• 6 jumbo shrimp in shells (21-25 per lb.)


• 6 large sea scallops


• 6 wedges lemon

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Ready Time: 1 hr 10 mins



• heat olive oil in a very large skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. place chicken thighs skin-side down into oil and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes; set aside.


• stir in onion and garlic, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 1 minute. add green and red bell peppers, calamari, and small shrimp; cook for 2 minutes more.


• stir in salt, saffron, tomatoes, peas, rice, and water until well combined. add chicken thighs, and simmer for 15 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to make sure rice does not stick.


• decoratively nestle clams and jumbo shrimp into the rice. reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. place the scallops into the paella, recover, and continue simmering until the rice is tender and the scallops firm and opaque, about 5 minutes. garnish with lemon wedges to serve.