Paella

Funny enough, I have only ever had paella while traveling in France (I've never been to Spain).  There are many different variations to this dish; I chose this recipe because it sounded like it would come out closest to what I had had--and I was right!  Thing is, it's not a cheap dish to make, as it requires saffron threads, which, in case you have not heard, are one of the most expensive spices out there.  On the plus side, you get your money's worth--this recipe makes a massive amount of servings!  I had to freeze most of my leftovers.

Here is a link for the original recipe:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/traditional-spanish-paella-0
I made only minor substitutions, as I had never made such a thing before and didn't want to deviate too far from what was indicated.

Ingredients:

--herb blend--
1 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (it took 2 lemons for me to get this much)
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. minced bottled garlic

--paella--
1 c. water
1 tsp. saffron threads
3 cans (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1/2 lb. shrimp (I used the prepared/cooked/frozen medium sized ones)
1 T. olive oil
4 skin on, bone-in chicken thighs, cut in pieces
6.5 to 8 oz. chorizo (Spanish sausage), casing removed, cut in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices (I used 7.8 oz)
1/4 lb. prosciutto, cut in small chunks
2 medium sized yellow onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. sweet Spanish paprika
1 1/2 tsp. minced bottled garlic
3 c. Arborio rice (I used 2 c. Arborio and 1 c. long grain white rice because I didn't have enough Arborio)
8 frozen mussels
2 T. fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Combine the ingredients of the herb blend in a small bowl and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, combine water, saffron, and chicken broth.  Bring to a simmer (do not boil), then turn heat down to low to keep warm until needed.

3. Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large, deep skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and sauté for 4 minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.

4. Add chorizo and prosciutto, sauté for 2 minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.

5. Add shrimp, sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.

6. Reduce heat to medium-low.  Add onion and red bell pepper; cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Add tomatoes, paprika, and garlic.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Add rice.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

9. Stir in herb blend, broth mixture, chicken, and chorizo.  Bring to low boil; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

10. Add mussels to pan, nestling them into rice mixture.  Cook 5 minutes or until shells open; discard any unopened shells.

11. Add shrimp.  Stir in and cook 2 minutes.

12. Remove from heat.  Drizzle lemon juice over top, then cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for 10 minutes.  Enjoy!