MOUNTAIN-STYLE PAELLA

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Mountain-Style Paella image

About two centuries ago, field workers near Valencia began sharing a luncheon dish made of rice, vegetables, snails and eels cooked in a flat, oval, two-handled metal pan known as a paellera. And so paella was born. Rice dishes made in such a pan, whatever the ingredients, are called paella or just arroz con ("rice with"), followed by a description of the contents. The traditional components of this particular version are snails, rabbit and rosemary, which are found in the Valencian mountains. This equally delectable rendition omits the snails and substitutes chicken for rabbit. This recipe can be made in a paella pan, a flameproof earthenware casserole or a large skillet.

Yield Serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 18

2 large red bell peppers, seeded
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 1/2 pounds breakfast pork sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 pounds tomatoes (about 7 cups), chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 cup almonds, finely ground
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 cups arborio rice or short-grain white rice
6 cups (or more) hot canned low-salt chicken broth
Lemon wedges

Steps:

  • Cut 1 bell pepper lengthwise into thin strips. Chop second pepper; reserve. Heat oil in heavy 14-inch skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper strips; sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, transfer pepper strips to bowl; reserve. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook until brown on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer to plate. Add sausage to skillet; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to plate with chicken.
  • Pour off all but 6 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add mushrooms to skillet; sauté over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, garlic and chopped bell pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, about 35 minutes.
  • Add green beans and next 7 ingredients to skillet. Stir in rice, chicken, sausage and 6 cups hot broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered until chicken is cooked, adding more broth if mixture seems dry, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Top with pepper strips. Garnish with lemon.

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