Maria’s Paella

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/4 pounds chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 pound calamari rings
• 1/4 pound small shrimp – peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons saffron threads
• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup peas
• 3 cups long grain rice
• 6 cups water
• 6 large clams in shell, scrubbed
• 6 jumbo shrimp in shells (21-25 per lb. )
• 6 large sea scallops
• 6 wedges lemon

Directions

Heat olive oil in a very large skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Place chicken thighs skin-side down into oil and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes; set aside.

Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 1 minute. Add green and red bell peppers, calamari, and small shrimp; cook for 2 minutes more.

Stir in salt, saffron, tomatoes, peas, rice, and water until well combined. Add chicken thighs, and simmer for 15 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to make sure rice does not stick.

Decoratively nestle clams and jumbo shrimp into the rice. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Place the scallops into the paella, recover, and continue simmering until the rice is tender and the scallops firm and opaque, about 5 minutes. Garnish with lemon wedges to serve.