Mid-week meal: Paella

Get a taste of the Mediterranean this summer with this classic comforting Spanish dish that’s loaded with flavour.

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 chicken thighs boneless and skinless cut into 1 inch pieces

2 chorizo sausages cut into 1 inch pieces (I used Italian sausages)

½ teaspoon salt or to taste

¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste

1 large onion chopped

6 cloves garlic minced

1½ cups arborio rice

14 ounces diced fire-roasted tomatoes (1 can)

4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, low sodium

1 tablespoon hot sauce such as Tabasco or Sriracha, optional

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon saffron

1 pound large shrimp shelled and deveined but keep tails on

1 pound mussels scrubbed and soaked

1 pound clams scrubbed and soaked

For the garnish

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Chopped lemon cut into wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large paella pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and sausage, season with salt and pepper, and then cook for about 5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.

Move the chicken and sausage to one side of the pan, then add the onion to the other half, season with a bit of salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the arborio and fire roasted tomatoes to the pan and stir well. Let the rice cook in the sauce from the tomatoes for about 5 minutes, you will notice it will start to brown on the bottom, which is what you’re looking for.

Add the broth, hot sauce, smoked paprika, saffron and season with salt and pepper if needed. Stir everything together and cover with a large lid. Cook for about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, without stirring. The rice will not be cooked through at this time.

Turn down the heat to medium-low. Arrange the shrimp, mussels and clams over the rice, cover with a lid again and cook for another 10 minutes or until the mussels and clams open up.

Turn off the heat and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Before serving, stir everything together to allow all the ingredients to marry each other for the best flavours.

Recipe credit: Jo Cooks

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