Serves 6-8

  • 6 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon crumbled thread saffron
  • kosher or sea salt
  • 1 pound chicken thighs
  • ½ pound boneless pork loin, cut in ½ inch cubes
  • ½ pound monkfish, grouper or other firm-fleshed fish, skin removed and cut in ½ inch cubes
  • 12-16 extra large shrimp in their shells
  • ¼ pound chorizo, preferably sweet, cut in ¼ inch slices. Or the soft chorizo, which will crumble and seem to disappear but will add a TON of flavor
  • 6 cups clam juice, chicken broth or fish broth
  • 8 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons paprika, preferably Spanish smoked
  • 3 cups imported Spanish or Arborio short-grain rice (we’ve even used short-grain sushi rice and it worked fine!)
  • ½ cup frozen or fresh peas
  • 1½ - 2 dozen small mussels or clams (optional)
In a mortar or a mini food processor, mash to a paste the garlic, parsley, saffron and 1/8 teaspoon salt. For a nutty flavor, add a little parmesan to the mixture.Set aside.

Sprinkle all over with salt the chicken, pork, fish and shrimp in their shells and place each in different bowls.

Preheat the oven to 400° for gas oven, 450° for electric. Pour the broth into a pot and keep hot over the lowest heat.

Heat 6 tablespoons of the oil in a paella pan over 2 burners if necessary (or over a BBQ).Briefly sauté the shrimp in their shells over high heat and remove to a warm platter before they are fully cooked.Sauté the chicken until brown but not fully cooked.Remove to the platter.Add the pork, fish and chorizo, cook 1-2 minutes and remove to the platter.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, mix in the onion and the red pepper and cook until they are slightly softened.Stir in the tomato, cook 1-2 minutes, then stir in the paprika and rice, coating it well with the pan mixture.

Pour in the hot broth and bring to a boil.Add the mortar mixture, taste for salt, and continue to boil about 3 minutes, stirring and rotating the pan occasionally.Add the reserved fish, chorizo, pork, and peas, and boil about 2 minutes more, until the rice is no longer soupy but enough liquid remains to continue cooking the rice.

Arrange the chicken, shrimp, and optional shellfish over the rice and transfer to oven (or put lid on BBQ).Cook, uncovered, 10-12 minutes in a gas oven, 15-20 minutes electric, until the rice is almost al dente.Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil, and let sit 5-10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste.