Spanish Paella II

Spanish Paella

It's a wonderful presentation, serve out of the pan with a salad for a complete dinner

1 tablespoon olive oil 2 bacon slices, chopped 6 chicken thighs 1/2 cup chopped onions 1/2 cup chopped celery 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup long-grain white rice 1 7-ounce jar roasted diced pimentos with juice 1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads 8 oz. bottled clam juice 3/4 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth 1/4 pound cleaned squid, bodies cut into 1/2-inch rings 18 large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined 6 clams, scrubbed 6 mussels, debearded and scrubbed 3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 450�F. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot. Add chopped bacon and cook about 6 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add chicken to bacon drippings in pot and cook over medium heat until brown, about 7 minutes per side. Take out the chicken and set aside. Add onions, celery, and garlic to pot and saute until it begins to brown, 8-10 minutes. Stir in rice, pimentos, and saffron. Add clam juice and chicken stock to pot and bring mixture to simmer. Remove from heat.

Pour rice mixture into baking dish. Arrange chicken, shrimp, squid, clams and mussels (in their shells) on top. Sprinkle with chopped bacon and peas. Cover and bake about 45 minutes, until rice is tender, chicken is cooked through, and clams and mussels have opened. (Discard any that don't open.) Serve with lemon wedges to 6 ravenous diners.

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 * Catsrecipes Y-Group