Chicken and Seafood Paella

Paella comes from the spanish word for the pan (usually a big saucepan) in which this classic concoction is cooked. In keeping with tradition, people in Spain still often prepare it outdoors over a wood fire. They bring their chicken from the market, and pluck it and cook it with sausages. Essentially, paella is a big flavored stew with poultry, meat, whatever one can afford--with some vegetables added near this cooking time.

Paella contains a lot of rice; chorizo, the famed Spanish hot sausage; chicken legs; a seafood assortment of mussels, squid, and shrimp; and finally, fresh vegetabks. All of this is flavored with saffron, the best quality of which comes from Spain. This one-pot meal requires great attention to timing. First, the pork and sausage are browned, and then, in their drippings. the chicken is browned. The rice is added next and cooked with the seasonings, and then the seafood is added. Finally. the asparagus and peas are placed in the pot. Staggered in this way, everything is finished cooking at the same time.

3 ounces pancetta (best choice) or salt pork, cut into 1/4-inch lardoons (1/2 cup)
8 ounces chorizo, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
2 chicken legs (about 1 pound), skinned, carcass bone removed, and cut in half to separate thighs and drumsticks
medium onion (6 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
(1/4 cups)
5 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed, and fiuely chopped (1 tablespoou)
2 cups long-grain Carolina rice
1/2 cup (about 1/2 ounces) dry mushroom pieces
1 teaspoon (loose) saffron pistils, crushed between thumb and fingers
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
4 cups water
1 tomato (8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 1/3 cups)
1 red bell pepper (6 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound (about 12) mussels
3/4 pound squid, cleaned and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
12 shrimp (about 8 ounces), shelled 1/22 cup fresh shelled or frozen baby peas
6 stalks asparagus, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco hot pepper sauce

1. In a large saucepan, sauté the pork lardoons and the chorizo in the oil for 5 minutes, partially covered to avoid splattering. Add the chicken and brown for 10 minutes over low to medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and continue cooking for about about 30 seconds.

2. Add the rice to the pot, and mix it in well. then serve in the mushrooms, saffron, herbs de provence, water, tomato, red and Jalepeno peppers, salt, and black pepper, and mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook gently for 25 minutes.

3. Add the mussels, shrimp, and squid. Cook for eight minutes.Then stir in the peas and asparagus, and continue cooking, covered, for another 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with chives and serve with Tabasco on the side.

yield, 7 servings.