JANUARY'S SHRUSSEL PAELLA

SHRUSELL PAELLA

(Shrimp and Mussels)

paella for 8

Attendees:

Quib & CeCe

NaK & MaK

The Husband

"A", son

Her Highness, daughter

Me 

Ingredients:

3 green peppers (cut in fairly large dices)

2 c. white wine

6 shallots (chopped)

3 Tbs fresh thyme

18 whole black peppercorns

3 bay leaf

3-1/2 lbs mussels in shells

1 lb. shrimp

2 8oz bottles clam juice

chicken broth

1 tsp. saffron (crumbled)

4 tsp. olive oil

4 c. finely chopped onions

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 c. chopped fresh tomatoes

salt and pepper

3 c. arborio rice

5 Tbl italian parsley (chopped)

Directions:

- In large pot combine, wine, shallots, thyme, peppercorns, and by leaf.  Bring to a boil

- Add mussels and cook for 6 minutes.  They all should be popped open.

- Remove mussels from the pot into a bowl and cool.

- Keep liquid in the pot.  Pour any liquid from the bowl back into the pot.

- Remove muscles from shell reserving approx. 24 with the shell for garnish.

- Strain cooking liquid through cheesecloth back into the pot.  

- Add clam juice and saffron, simmer for 5 minutes.

- Transfer liquid to large measuring cup.  Add chicken broth to measure to 7 cups.

- Heat oil in paellaer.

- Add onions, garlic and green peppers.  Saute until softened.

- Add tomatoes

- Season with salt and pepper to taste

- Stir in rice and saute until rice is thoroughly mixed with oil and vegies

- Place paellaer on grill

- Pour in reserved broth until broth just barely covers the rice.  Simmer.  Stir frequently.

- Continue to cover with broth as it gets absorbed until broth is gone. (30-40 minutes)

- After 20 minutes, add mussels and shrimp.  Stir frequently.

- Cook until rice absorbs broth and is al dente (just tender)

- If rice needs to cook more, add another cup of warm water

- Add parsley

The trick is to keep the rice barely submerged in liquid, stir frequently, cooking down and add more broth.  In the grill the bottom of the paella will be crispy...and that's the way it's supposed to be...according to our Spaniard taste tester. 

Consensus:  Thumbs up!  Tasty...could've used a little more Saffron.

Ciao for now!

k