Chicken, Chorizo and Seafood Paella

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

800 ml chicken stock

¼ tsp saffron threads 

50 ml extra virgin olive oil

500 g chicken wings, cut in 1/2

60 g cooking chorizo, sliced in 5 mm slices

1 onion, chopped

4 French shallots, peeled and chopped

2 Tbsp chopped garlic 

¼ tsp smoked Spanish paprika

220 g tin smoked piquillo peppers

250 g large prawns, peeled and de-vained, leaving heads and tails intact.

2 lobster tails, split lengthwise, optional

4 King crab claws, optional

330 g (1 ½ cups) short grain Spanish rice such as bomba or calasparra

3 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley 

2 fresh bay leaves

½ cup dry white wine

100 g fresh peas

12 clams, scrubbed

12 mussels, scrubbed

60 g jamón or serrano ham, diced

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Parsley, for garnish

Method

Pre-heat an oven to 165C.

In a saucepan, bring the stock with the saffron to a simmer.

Leave for 15 minutes then set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a metal paella pan measuring 38 cm (15 inches) across the base.

Add the chicken wings and fry over high heat for 5 minutes, or until golden on all sides. 

Remove to a warm platter.

Add the chorizo to the paella pan and sauté for about 3 minutes.

Add the onion, shallot, garlic and paprika and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft.

Add the piquillo peppers and cook for 1 minute.

Add the prawns, lobster and crab claws and sauté (if using). Sauté for 3 minutes or until the prawns and lobster just turn pink.

Transfer the seafood to the platter with the chicken.

Add the rice to the paella pan and stir through.

Sprinkle in the parsley and the bay leaves.

Stir in the wine and cook until reduced by 1/2.

Now stir in the hot stock at 2 minute intervals.

Add the peas and season with sea salt & freshly ground black pepper.

Bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally for approx. 10 - 12 minutes.

Bury the prawns and the chicken in the rice.

Add the clams and the mussels, pushing them into the rice, with the edge that will open facing up.

Decorate the paella with the lobster and clam claws if using, then transfer to the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cover with foil and rest for about 5 minutes.

Remove and discard any unopened clams or mussels.

Garnish the paella with the ham, lemon wedges and extra parsley and serve.