Authentic Spanish Paella

Directions

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   Note: To cook the paella recipe you need a paella pan or a large wide-based pan (16-20 inches wide, for 4 6 people).
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   1.
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   Soak clams in a medium bowl with 1/2 tablespoons of salt and 1 cup of water for 20 minutes to get the sand out.
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   Then wash clams.
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   Set aside.
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   2.
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   Clean, de-beard and wash mussels.
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   3.
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   Put mussels in a stock pot without water.
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    Heat the stock pot and wait until the majority of them have opened up (4-5 minutes).
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    You can reserve any liquid from the pot to add it to the fish stock.
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    4.
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    Remove 8 mussels from the shells and reserve 4 with the shell to garnish over the top of the paella.
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    Set both aside.
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    5.
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    Peel and chop garlic cloves.
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    6.
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    Cut chicken thighs into 2 inch chunks and sprinkle it with ground black pepper and salt.
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    Set aside.
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    7.
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    Heat the paella pan over medium heat with 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
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    When warm add the chicken thighs and for 5 minutes on each side or until golden.
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    Then set chicken aside.
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    8.
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    Place 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a bunch of saffron threads in a mortar.
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    Use a pestle to grind.
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    9.
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    Add garlic to the paella pan and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
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    10.
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    Peel and grate tomato and add it to the paella pan.
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    Saute for 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
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    11.
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    Add squid rings and cook for 3-4 minutes.
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    12.
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    Add washed clams, shrimp, chicken thigh chunks and the mussels (the ones without the shells) and cook for 7-8 minutes.
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    13.
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    Add rice and stir for 1-2 minutes more.
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    14.
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    Add a little of the the fish stock (warm) to the mortar to dissolve the saffron mixture and then add it and the rest of the fish stock to the paella pan.
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    15.
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    Bring the paella pan to a boil then cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes.
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    16.
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    Arrange the prawns, the reserved (shell on) mussels and some roasted red pepper strips over the top and cook for 13-15 minutes more.
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    Rice should be cooked in 18-20 minutes in total or according to your package instructions.
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    17.
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    Remove from heat and set aside for 8-10 minutes to form a crust.
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    18.
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    Serve immediately and enjoy your Spanish paella.