Spanish Paella with Chorizo and Seafood
Chock-full of three kinds of seafood plus spicy chorizo, this Spanish paella will satisfy a hungry crowd. The recipe calls for Bomba rice, a short-grain Spanish rice that is prized for its ability to absorb almost three times its volume in liquid, while the grains still remain firm and delicious, but any sort of Spanish paella rice will do.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 lb. (500 g) Spanish chorizo or other spicy smoked sausages, cut into slices 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 cups (14 oz./440 g) Bomba rice or other Spanish paella rice
- 1/2 tsp. saffron threads
- 4 cups (32 fl. oz./1 l) chicken broth
- 1 lb. (500 g) jumbo shrimp
- 1 lb. (500 g) small clams, such as littleneck or Manila, scrubbed
- 1 lb. (500 g) mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1 cup (5 oz./155 g) thawed frozen peas
Directions
In a large paella pan or a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the rice, crumble in the saffron and cook, stirring, until the grains are well coated, about 2 minutes. Pour in the broth and stir in 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice has absorbed nearly all of the liquid, about 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, using a sharp paring knife or kitchen shears, cut along each shrimp’s shell above the vein line and then remove the vein. Leave the shell and tail intact.
When the rice has absorbed nearly all of the liquid, press the clams and mussels, hinge side down, into the rice, discarding any that do not close to the touch. Spread the shrimp over the rice and top with the peas. Cover and cook until the shrimp are opaque and the clams have opened, about 5 minutes. Discard any unopened clams and mussels and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen