Paella
Ingredients
Herb Blend
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
Paella
1 cup water
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 (16-ounce) cans chicken broth or homemade
1/2 pound of peeled or unpeeled shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 boned chicken thighs, cut in half or boneless chicken breast (I marinate it in 2 tbsp of Maani’s Tandoori Spice Blend, salt & pepper & 1 Tbsp of Lemon juice)
2 links Spanish chorizo sausage or turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 slices of bacon
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon of Maani’s Tikka masala Spice blend
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
1 cup frozen green peas
8 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste
Lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
To prepare paella, combine water, saffron and broth (first 3 ingredients) in a saucepa & bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat. Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact; set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken & saute for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Add kielbasa & bacon, saute 2 minutes. Remove from pan. Add shrimp, and saute 2 minutes. Remove from pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion and red bell pepper, sauté for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Maani’s Tikka Masala blend, smoked paprika, and 3 garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes. Then add the can of tomatoes & peas & mix together.
Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in herb blend, broth mixture, chicken, sausage mixture, and peas. Bring to a low boil; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add mussels to pan, nestling them into rice mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until shells open; discard any unopened shells. Arrange shrimp, heads down, in rice mixture, and cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup lemon juice. Remove from heat; cover with a towel or aluminum foil, and let stand 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges & enjoy!