Paelha

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. salt pork, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• Salt
• 1 tbsp. wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 chicken (2 1/2 lbs.), cut into serving pieces
• 1 lb. raw med. shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 raw lobster (2 lbs.), cut into serving pieces (may be replaced by extra shrimp)
• 2 chorizos (Spanish sausages) or hot Italian or Portuguese sausages
• 3/4 c. chopped onion
• 1 tsp. whole saffron or 1/4 tsp. powdered saffron
• 2 tbsp. capers
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• 2 1/2 c. uncooked white rice
• 3 1/2 c. chicken stock (approximately)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 20 mussels, well scrubbed
• 20 sm. clams, well rinsed (may be replaced by mussels)
• 1 pkg. frozen artichoke hearts, partly thawed (or jar or can of water- packed ones)
• 1/2 c. freshly cooked or frozen green peas
• 1 (4 oz.) can pimentos
• Lemon wedges

Instructions

In a heavy 4 quart ovenproof skillet, casserole, or paella pan, sauté pork until brown. Set aside pork and keep fat in skillet.
Mix garlic with thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, vinegar, oil, and coriander. Coat chicken pieces with mixture and let stand at least 30 minutes before cooking.

In pork fat in skillet, sauté shrimp quickly until bright pink; remove and set aside. Do the same with the lobster.

Fry the chorizos in the same pan until cooked, about 20 minutes. Slice and reserve.

Brown the chicken pieces in the fat remaining in the pan; you may wish to drain off some fat after browning chicken. Sprinkle chicken with onion, saffron, capers, and tomatoes. Add reserved pork pieces (optional), wine, rice, and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer gently about 15 minutes.

Steam mussels and clams in 1/4 cup water until they open, about 5 minutes. Discard any that do not open.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the shrimp, lobster, artichoke hearts, and peas to the chicken and rice. Cook, uncovered, 5-10 minutes. If all the liquid has been absorbed, add the liquid from the mussels and clams or more chicken broth. The rice should be moist but there should be no excess liquid.

When rice is properly cooked, add the pimentos and reserved chorizos. Garnish with mussels and clams, cover, and reheat in oven if necessary; reduce heat; to 200 degrees if it is to be kept warm for more than 15-20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.