Paella with Seafood, Chicken, and Chorizo

Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 2 to 4 servings


Ingredients

2 chicken thighs
2 chicken legs
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish chorizo sausage
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Spanish onion, diced
1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
1 cup Spanish rice, short to medium grain
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 cups water, warm
4 jumbo shrimp, peeled with heads and tails on
2 lobster tails, split
6 littleneck clams, scrubbed
1/2 cup sweet peas, frozen and thawed
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
Lemon wedges, for serving


Directions

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat them dry. Mix the oregano and paprika with some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the pieces of chicken; marinate for 30 minutes so the flavor can sink in a bit.


Heat the olive oil in a paella pan or wide shallow skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down and brown on all sides, turning with tongs. Add the chorizo and continue to cook until the oil is a vibrant red color. Remove the chicken and sausage to a platter lined with paper towels.


Return the pan to the stove and lower the heat to medium. Make a sofrito by sauteing the garlic, onion, and tomatoes; cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld; season with salt and pepper. Fold in the rice, stirring to coat the grains. Stir the saffron into the rice. Pour in the water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Do not cover or constantly stir like risotto.


Add the shrimp, lobster, clams, the reserved chicken, and the chorizo. Give the paella a couple of good stirs to tuck in all the pieces and just let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes. Scatter the peas on top and continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the paella looks fluffy and moist. The ideal paella has a toasted rice bottom called socarrat. Allow to rest, off the heat for 5 minutes, and garnish with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

From: foodnetwork.com

Spaghetti with Oven Baked Clams

Cook Time: 14 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients
Clams:

* 40 littleneck clams, well scrubbed
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
* 10 garlic cloves, smashed with the back of a knife
* 1/4 pound pancetta, small dice
* 2 dried red chiles
* Handful fresh basil leaves
* 1/4 cup white wine
* 2 pints cherry tomatoes,(yellow and red), stemmed
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound spaghetti

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, scrub the
clams with a stiff brush under cold running water and discard any that
are open. Put a medium roasting pan over 2 burners.

Add the olive oil, garlic, pancetta, chiles, and herbs and cook until
the pancetta renders, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the clams, the wine,
tomatoes, and a good amount of pepper and toss that all together.
Transfer pan to oven and roast until the clams open, about 10 minutes.
While the clams are cooking, drop the pasta into the water for 7 to 8
minutes. Drain. Dump the drained pasta into a serving bowl, and toss
with clams. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, freshly ground black
pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.