Valenciana Paella

Valenciana is a Spanish coastal city where this dish is particularly revered. This paella features seafood, sausage and chicken but don’t forget the saffron — it is the essential spice of the dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced Spanish chorizo sausage (about 2 ounces)
• 2 (2-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, quartered
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
• 1 cup Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
• 2/3 cup white wine
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1/4 cup water
• 18 mussels (about 3/4 pound), scrubbed and debearded
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped bottled roasted red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until shrimp are done. Place shrimp in a medium bowl. Add chorizo to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until browned. Add chorizo to bowl.
2. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Add chicken to pan, and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the tomato, capers, and saffron; cook 1 minute. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, rice, wine, and broth to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is tender.
3. Add shrimp mixture, peas, 1/4 cup water, and mussels to pan. Cover and cook 8 minutes over medium heat or until mussels open; discard any unopened shells. Remove from heat, and stir in bell pepper and cilantro. Let stand 3 minutes.